Mother Contesting Residency For Father.

[loulou111]

Hi i have wrote how i have been short term fostering an 11 year old girl for a family i know. The mother asked me to have her. It has come to light that the mother has been neglectful staying in bed all day. Whist this was going on the mothers boyfriend has been hitting the child leaving bruises. They has also been allegations of inappropriate touching from the mothers boyfriend. Social services have said little one must live with her birth father. There is a meeting next week to get the father to have a residency order for her, and for his parental responsibility to be given as the child is 11 and they have not been married. Now the mother is contesting this. What are the chances the dad will not get this?. The poor little one is very confused. Until dad has this she has to stay with me under the care of myself and social services. Do you think this will be straight forward?. Any dads or social workers out there who have been through this, your opinion will be appreciated.

[murraymints]

At eleven I would think the child's wishes would be first consideration..

[loulou111]

Type Your Answer Here...You would think so. She was very clingy to me but seemed to get her head arounf the idea and was pleased about living with dad. After a recent visit with mum she says she now wants to live with her. Its all very draining.

[murraymints]

Has mum been offering incentives for her to go back....does she want to protect boyfriend from improper contact allegations maybe ?..does dad know what's going on in the mother's home ?

[loulou111]

Yes Dad is aware mums boyfriend has been arrested and released on bail, Police are gathering evidence to make a case. The social worker is not letting myself or the dad know to much at the moment. Maybe because he does not have p.r at the moment?.

[loulou111]

update Dad now has parental responsibility and interim residency. She is going to live with him in 4 weeks, i get to have her one full weekend a month. Mum must have supervised visits on a wednesday . All to be looked at again in november, I presume once the child is settled with dad in november he will still get to have her. Her mum is so angry and is contesting pr and residency which is why its interim.

[FredPuli43]

At 11 years, the child's express wishes will count for very little and will be disregarded. The court decides what is in the best interests of the child, not what the child thinks its best interests are. It appears that a sensible decision has been reached. It would require a very dramatic change in circumstances,probably on both sides, for it to be changed.

[loulou111]

Thats what i believe Fred . However you do hear of some cases where the end result is not what you think it should be. I would hate for her to be pulled about like a christmas cracker.