The important fact to remember is that, in the majority of cases, the father will not be granted custody of the child by the courts. Individuals and groups have complained about this bias of the courts for several years, but it’s simply a fact that unless the circumstances are exceptional, the child or children will stay with their mother under a residence order, and you will be able to see them with a Contact Order.
If you've been granted custody and want to understand what this means for your parental responsibilities and entitlements, you can use our free Rights Checker.
Conditions For Father’s Custody
However, there are times when a judge will look very favourably on a father’s application for custody. Where the mother has a history of addiction to drink or drugs or an extensive history of binge drinking, which you can prove, there’s a good chance you’ll be given custody. There are solid reasons for this, since addicts often turn to crime to feed their habits, which can put the child in situations that aren’t good as he or she grows.
The courts take a similar attitude where the mother has a criminal record, at least if it’s a reasonably extensive one showing her to be a repeat offender. That applies whether she’s in jail or not (there are instances where mothers in jail can keep very young children with them, but those are few and far between).
The mother might be considered physically or emotionally incapable of raising a child. That might be due to a physical handicap, or it could be emotional instability. In those cases, the father would be given custody.
Similarly, where there’s been emotional or physical abuse of the child by the mother, and it can be proven, then the father will definitely receive custody. Sadly, abuse rates by mothers have been on the increase.
Finally, if the mother is deemed to have abandoned her children, the father will receive custody. Abandoned is classed as not being in communication with a child for a set period, whether by mail, phone, physical contact or email. Also, if she leaves with a new partner and has no contact with the children, or if she neglects the children when they’re in her care, then custody will devolve to the father.
Check what legal rights you have as a separated father. Takes 2 minutes.
Try our Father's Rights Checker free, here on this site →Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Your Rights
When you have custody, you have the same rights as a mother with custody, and the mother would have Visitation Rights with the children (of course, there might be circumstances when she might be denied access). Be sure you obey the contact order fully.
Something to be aware of is that the mother can later petition the court to have the residence order changed, if she’s cleaned up her act and can prove herself to be upstanding and likely to be a good parent. Sadly, there’s a fair chance she might win, although the courts will take the wishes of the children into account.
You’d do right to feel that everything is more fragile than if you were female, since it probably is. She can always come back with her lawyer.
1. Pray to the Lord Jesus Christ to save me from my sinful life. Forgive me for my sins. Come into my life and live your life through me. Help me to be at peace with my family, even the ones who hate me. Please love them through me. I can't do it on my own.
2. Join Narcotics Anonymous or AA. Just find a support group and get off drugs. Whatever it takes. You are doing this for you and for your kids. If you keep doing drugs you will die, end up in jail, and lose your kids, and your hell will continue as long as you live. Grow up. Stop blaming everyone else for your problems. Accept responsibility and work with the situation the best you can. Go to church. Pray that God will give you godly people to help you grow spiritually. Don't give up. It may take a couple of tries to find a church you like.
3. Find a job as soon as you feasible. Work two jobs if necessary until you are too tired to do anything but sleep. Save every penny and use it for food, kids, rent. Take responsibility and try to work on balancing it all. That's a tall order, but it's a good goal. Trust God with your kids. You must get stable before you can be a suitable parent. Show up for them. Hug them.
4. Finally, work your 12-step program. You can turn your life around, no matter how hard it is, but you need God and you need accountability as well as support. Our world is in a lot of trouble. Don't waste time and energy on the things you can't control, but work on the things you can control. If you do these things, you may look back one day and see that you made it!
Every time it is for some months and then come back and said sorry.
All 4 times she take my kids away.
This time I dont want more give my kids away.
May I can get full custody?
At the moment I live like that.
I work nigt shift from 10PM-6AM.
After work 7AM I need woke up my two daughters for school. 9AM i need bring them to school and then I spend all my day with my baby. 3PM I need take my daughters from school. And then I can sleep 3h before work.
At the moment my wife is at home in tight time with kids. But I have other person who can stay with kids in tightime.
My wife work day shift 6AM-2PM
May I can get full custody?
Split up with mother in march 18 I had the children 90% of the time in July 2018 she then accuse me of rape which did not happen no charges brought against me but still weeks later I started to have the children youngest is my kid 2nd girl is her daughter I am not biological father but I still had the children while she was with new boyfriend 1 then she went with boyfriend 2 2 weeks after the fake allegation of rape ,
November 2018 her father then told me the truth about the fake Rap she took it too far next day she stoped me haven the kids stoped all contact so I took to family court this is where it gets interesting.
She made allegations in the bundle about rap a knife attack and lots of stupid things each hearing I've never been able to speak a word but on the last day hearing that's a full day the mother confirmed statement under oath 3 times asked by the judge but she said don't recognise knife accusation judge has now sacked her lawyers and the case was stoped 1.15 minutes into the case she was ordered to put more paperwork to the judge by certain date this is not happened there is now a one-hour directions hearing next soon ,
But due to her the kids and myself struggling don't know what will happen next does anyone know so what they think will happen will I get full custody of my son and her daughter replies welcome as I'm lost
They ain't not at any communication with my 2 daughters for the pass 3mths..
Can I get custody
My wife has been involved in affair since last June 2018..only finally learning this last Christmas..she then applied for divorce.. to which I agreed..on the basic that affair or not we needed to separate..she by admission is a fantastic mother..that is until of late with her taking the kids to her mother's whom she hasn't spoken to in 4yrs then stopped me from having any access and applied to the court for prohibited steps order stopping me from being able to take the kids from her custody and giving her the right to tell me what access the kids can have with dad..the 1st hearing actually threw out her wants and stipulated that the kids until the final hearing must have time with dad..now although I agreed to less than 20% of overall time until the final hearing where I hope to see the kids being given equal rights to both parents on a 50/50 time schedule ive just received a letter stating that unless I agree to keeping my time to less than 20% that she intends on claiming or recovering her costs from me..even though I haven't initiated any of these circumstances and I'm only actually trying to be a dad who's always been there..including my kids right to have a positive relationship with dad..
Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated..
I need some guidance
The Mother of my child receives £260 per month via direct pay from myself.
I used to have my son every weekend due to my working hours during the week.
I now have my Son every fortnight for a weekend (Friday, 19:00 - Sunday, 16:00) :(
I have requested to have my Son half the time which includes school runs (I will ask my family to assist with child care.)
Mother of my child NEVER picks up or drops off our Son.
Mother spends child in one outfit for the the weekend which forces me to spend money on clothes.
I buy clothes and understand my Son will benefit by taking it to his mums but the never return so I'm forced to buy more which means i'm dipping into his spending money for the weekend.
I bought my son a mobile phone - Mother deletes my skype contact details so we can not speak.
Mother told me I cannot have my son during my arranged weekend with my Son
Mother is controlling can is stopping access again! last time is lasted 5months
My Son was 4-5 at the Time - I cried when i was able to pick him up
I don't have much money to fight
What are my options?
This year, Mother decided to surround herself around aggressive people which pushed her while holding my Son. As a result my Son had a cut by his eye
Last year, Mother took my Son to Turkey during school hours which resulted in a fine from the school sent to both mine and her address.
I feel i will loose my Son as he grows up to an unfair mother which is brain washing him to not like me, his Father.
I'm missing my Son
So she has had social services get involved mine and new partner life which we have accepted to agree assessment but still have no clue how to go about fighting for my own daughter only apply threw court
If we are assessed for 35 days threw social services have they or would they help to obtain rights have my own daughter in our care
Thank you
She moved to the UK to be with me and my life has been hell ever since. She was caught stealing from me and my family and even banned from the local Asda for a year or two for stealing. When my daughter was a couple of months old, me ex paid for me to go to visit my brother in Norway for a few days and while I was there ran off to Florida with my daughter saying I had a problem and didnt want them. When she refused to allow me to speak to my daughter or answer my calls I contacted the police who the told er to return to the UK with my daughter immediately which she did. That was the beginning of a couple of instances where she called the police to claim domestic violence had taken place which it hadnt, she was trying to build a case against me to try to paint me in a bad light. The second time this happened the police officers advised me to leave the property for my own safety as they could see what she was doing. There were no marks on her and no charges were brought on either occasion. That was the last time we were together.
We have always had a 50:50 shared care arrangement for our daughter despite her continually informing the cms that I had her less so I have had the added stress of constantly being blackmailed for money. She also constantly tried to change our contact agreement to suit her or whatever job she is in at the time. After contacting my local MP regarding the CMS problem I was advised to get our current arrangement (since Sept 2017 when my daughter started school) formalized.
2 days before the court hearing my ex stated on respondant reply form that she feared my daughter was in danger of some form of emotional abuse from me although has failed to back this up with any evidence. The hearing has now automatically gone to a fact finding hearing and I am now answering allegations of which there is no proof other than 2 police callouts which amounted to nothing. At court she also tried to change the agreement for the third or fourth time in 10 months (she wanted me to have my daughter every weekend and she will have her Monday to Friday!).
To add another twist, her 17 year old daughter, upon finding out what her mother was doing, wrote me a damning statement about her mum and how she would self harm in front of her to get her ex husband in trouble, that she had been emotionally abusive to her, (she has a history of self harming because of her mother) and that she was a danger to her little sisters emotional wellbeing. There was other stuff written in there too which painted her in a bad light. I have also spoke to the 17 year olds father who has confirmed that my ex wife has repea
Last week the mother of my children took an overdose and ended up in hospital.
Does this give me grounds to seek full responsibility/custody of my children. Any advice on what I can do to safeguard my children, protect their well being and am I within my rights to challenge my current contact order????
I have a 5 year old son. His mother left and abandoned him at the age of 1. There has been no contact since and I’ve never anticipated any. A problem arose the other day while in Barcelona we had our passports stolen. I had major issues trying to obtain a temporary passport for my son as absent or not his mother has parental rights. I had to obtain emails from his school and doctors. Obviously I will need to apply for a new passport for us both but as she still has parental rights( she’s not in the UK) I need to have sole parental rights of him. How can I do this through the courts when the mother is absent? Everything online is about the mother. How can I prove she’s not around and gain full rights over him so I can apply for his passport again
They have a volitile relationship
My daughter left her ex and took th children she couldn’t cope gave him the youngest told me she didn’t want him back - she meet someone and lied saying she did made her ex life a misery he had mental health problems anyway
Friday he hung himself aged 22 with his 2 year old downstairs he was struggling as money social services and all the abusive messages my daughters partner sent
We are heartbroken I wish people would get along after splitting up life is so precious
I just need a decision fast. I have health issues already and the stress is hard to deal with on top. I worry for my child. She is used to hurt me . I wanting over so she cannot do this. Unfortunately trying to do it all myself is tough. I hope to have the c100 in this week. She will not mediate. She would rather put our child through the court process.
Does anybody happen to know how to go about getting paid leave from work for a single father with a newborn?
I'm told that fathers are only entitled to 2 weeks paternity pay, but surely as I have a court order for sole custody and parental responsibility and DNA proving that I am the biological father, I should be entitled to Maternity or some form of Shared Paternity pay & leave? I've contacted the payroll office at work and they are all completely baffled and claim I'm only entitled to 2 weeks. This is simply not good enough, I obviously can't just leave baby at home alone. Anyone know the law to this or if anyone has found a way round it?
Thanks in advance.
We don’t communicate as things turn nasty so he deals directly with the kids now (12 and 15).
Me and my daughter had a row and I told her to go and stay at her dads for a bit, she now has no contact with me (I took her phone off her before she went as a punishment), she has now told social services I hit her etc and regularly physically abuse her....ss report states no concerns with safety of kids living with me.
Ex is now trying to take me to court for custody of both children citing I’m unsafe, unstable and erratic??
My son doesn’t want to go as he doesn’t want to leave me or his younger sibling......where do I stand?
My daughter lives with her mother who is living on benifits schemes, mentally ill, possibly has an alcohol problem and so on.
There is currently no legal matters between us and I have my daughter on most days that I do not work but sometimes when I'm not in work I have to beg to see my daughter for maybe an hour.
Her mother as i've stated is mentally it but pretty severely from a majorly abusive and traumatic past as a child, she is unable to make good decision and does not mentally live in this reality.
I'm concerned that to spite her incapability to be a strong and intellegent female role model for our daughter will ininvertantly damage our child is she is left majority in her mothers care.
My circumstances though are not ideal materialistically speaking, I still live my parents as I can't afford my own place on a minimum wage job and I do not recieve any beneficial help. I am how ever on a managment scheme in work and so by the end of next year I should be in my own place with plenty of income to support both myself and my daughter.
There is an abundance of proof to her mental health issues as she disscusses it regularly wth her GP and has been on meds for years. Physical health is also on the decline which obviously makes her mental health worse and also on the decline.
How much of a chance do i have of having custody, I believe that her mother should be involved in my daughters life as she is a woman in the making and paychologically needs a mother figure but I wish to be the decision maker & responsibility provider for her.
What do I do? Do you need more information in order to advise?
Ive been house husband for my two boys 16 and 10 for their entire lives. We are getting divorced am i likly to retain custody?
I was wondering were do I stand on gaining full custody of my daughter when she's born I have a full time job and I'm paid well I don't currently have my own place to stay but I'm looking for somewhere would I have a case in court I know she wouldn't give me access to her and I know for a fact my name won't be on the birth certificate I just want what's right for my daughter when she's born and I don't think my ex can give it to her please help :/
I been fight my ex girlfriend for 5 years straight now she kept stopping my contacts with my son. Saying you not his dad cause my name was not in his birth certification she when to give birth but did not inform me of this I found out on Facebook site. Now am having regular twice week contact my name on birth certification threw dna I have share rights with social services. My son is nearly 6 years old been told that I am getting custody in November so I moved into a 2 bed flat with local council I work full time at mc Donalds. Please can help me what benifits could I start claiming for of get forms to fill in ready please .
I got involved in the gap in between, when life was cool and being over compensated, however some of the history started to leak. Then I couldn't get out once she become pregnant. I felt I could help as this was a very positive thing for her. She kept it together and we have a healthy daughter. I was trying to manage the situation on my own. However, the moment breast feeding stopped at 4 months old she's was back off the wagon. Then one night at approx 6 months old she came in so drunk and ended up tripping and falling with our daughter despite my demands she didn't pick her up. Fortunately no harm done, I called for emergency services to confirm all okay, which I knew would start social care intervention. However, this backfired on me because she started to make unknown allegations about me to social care over the next year when she left me with daughter(now 18months) for her new partner. After consultant with a solicitor we prepared C100 & C1a and I raised my concerns for my daughter with social. However social were by now more concerned with myself ! I filed C100 & C1a and was countered with a non-molestation order and 86! allegations of DA, DV and general abuse and other even more serious and sinister (non of which were true or happened). Non-mol was thrown out due to lack of evidence after 4 weeks. My solicitor advised that the very best arrangement order I could achieve would be 50:50 because of lack of evidence on alcohol and mental health grounds although by then we had full disclosure from all parties, police, social and health. After 3 months and a change of solicitor (because they wanted to settle for less contact by dropping the allegations), we got 50:50 and all allegations were stuck off on both sides. I haven't slept well since ex-partner left because I know she continues to drink, however had to rest for now knowing I'd done all I could to protect my daughter. Now a lot poorer, I got on with the life and the 50:50 arrangement. Until recently when ex was arrested in a bar for being drunk in charge of my daughter. Daughter was returned to me by social and remains with me in breach of order. Social would like to mediate for us now, however do not want contact with mother for time being. I intend representing the now updated C100 & C1a forms and would like to know what my chances are now of, full custody? Is there anything else I should consider? Broke this is going to be a cha
I'm just wondering if I get full custody of my son will I be entitled to help on a separate claim for him or will he be classed as our 3rd child and get no extra support
I work full time but I am able to work round my daughter so I have been asking to increase my days to half.
She has 2 siblings at my ex wife's house - children she had after our divorce. So are my daughters half brother/sister.
She keeps refusing 50/50 custody or any increase in days. What are my chances in court? My daughter is happy, settled and doing very well.
She works away a lot and has a career that is about to take off, my son has offered to be the main carer and I would help, her and I have always had a lovely mother/ daughter relationship and loved each other. She comes from a completely different background to us and slipped very nicely into our lifestyle, rarely visiting her family during the last 4 years. She has a big family, all on social benefits. She now wants to take the boy to live there as she has lots of people who can look after her son, even though he barely knows them. Her brother is on a suspended sentace for drug dealing and he also lives with her parents, which is where she intends to stay. Would my son be able to stop this move?
The school also said police was contacted but when i rang them they said had no calls from that school in over a year so stick on what to do as iv no copy of the order at hand the police wont do anything any help would be mich appreciated ty
.
On one occasion when an argument broke out in the car, with my son in the back, the boyfriend ended up pulling up the handbreak of the car while travelling and they skidded.
He comes home with dirty clothes, school shoes are never cleaned and until he started cutter his own nails, they were always long. I always take him to have a hair cut, buy all of his school uniform including shoes and PE kit and pay for the clubs that he wants to attend, along with giving my ex £50 each month.
We found out a few weeks ago that her and her partner smoke e-cigarettes while my son is in the room and also while he's in the car. He has told us that he has asked for them to stop and I've also confronted her about this but this has had no effect. He comes home with coughs and colds most months too and I believe, since a change in where he goes after school on her evenings, his behaviour has got worse. His homework is always left to do when he's at home with us.
I understand that he needs to have a relationship with his mum but at the same time, I truely believe his upbringing is being hindered due to where he is living for 50% of the time. As a father, have I got a case to have custody of him?
Over our time together she relied on me heavily for support during battles with depression since our first son was born I've had to work from home 2 to 3 times a week on average to look after both her and our children. Earlier this year without warning, she asked for a separation I later found out she had meet another man on a bipolar support group forum. Since our separation she has continued to date him. losing my wife was hard enough but going days without seeing my children is devastating.
Our separation agreement says they should be with me every other weekend and half of the holidays and I pay a large amount in child support. In reality though since the separation my children have been with me on average 3 days a week as she still struggles with her depression. I'm extremely worried that she has now introduced our children to the man she had an affair with and maybe planning to move to live with him over 7 hours drive away from me.
if this happens I will have no choice but to battle her for full custody, she has no family down their so our children would have no support network and would be in a home with two individuals with mental health issues. I'm just worried that if she lies about her mental health and his there may not be much I can do about it until it's to late and my children suffer from being in a potential very unstable home. Any advise would be appreiated
For those 4 years, she has BANNED me from being in the same room as their son, when I have done nothing wrong. She has used their child as a weapon and is regularly aggressive and bullies my bf into doing whatever she says, threatening to not let my bf see their son if he disobeys/disagrees. The boy is at an age where he will tell the ex if he has seen me, so we can't spend time together discreetly, without it causing an argument.
My bf suffers from depression because of the abuse he receives from her (his hair has turned grey from the stress of it all). He feels like he can't stand up to her, coz he'll lose access to his son.
To make matters worse, she has since had a new baby, with her abusive bf (he has smashed her head through a mirror). They split up a week after the baby was born, but have since reconciled.
My bf and I both have stable jobs and are saving money for a house. I am concerned about the 2 children living in a household with 2 physically and mentally abusive adults. What can my bf do so that he can guarantee access to his son and allow me to see him too, without his ex taking him away?
I tried my up most at least I could see my children but my ex and her family never let me see my children.
My ex has history of health condition such as high blood pressure, heavy migraine, kidney diseases as only one kidney is functioning due to that she has to be on high dose of anti biotic and other related medicine.
I have been in court for a child arrangement order since May and got interim order from the court to see my children every weekend during this she breached the court order twice but court refused to act against her. Reason for breached .1 my daughter was sleeping 2. My daughter is not well.
There was final hearing couple of weeks ago but the court could not decide anything due to my ex refused to give my children over night stay and 50% share in holiday and travelling. So the court has referred this matter to the judge and order to prepare the guardian report from cafcass.
The court continued the previous interim order every weekend for 7 hours but last weekend again my ex did not make my children available, the reason given was it is her weekend which is not mentioned in the court order.
My ex also suffers from depression which she informed me few months back when she received the first court summons. she doesn't take doctors advice and prescribed medicine but I believe she buys back hand medicine to avoid doctor record which could go against her.
Prior to final hearing we had another hearing for cafcass section 7 report, during the hearing she also mentioned about her anxiety issue too.
I believe she has serious mental health issue on top of her health condition as mentioned above. But she avoids going to the doctor.
I have great concern about my ex health condition which seems to me deteriorating which will directly affect my children. As I have very limited information how she treats my children in side the four wall and I only see them once a week.
I dont know what to do as my children future are at risk and court seems to care and support women instead of children.
Would any one guide me what to do in this circumtances, will there be a way to secure my children custody to me to secure my children future?
Any advice will be appreciated.
I feel he is doing it because I left him and he knows that's the one thing that will hurt me.
I am a single dad that really wants to get parental responsibility taken away from my ex, and for my 3 yr old son to come and live with me.
My ex is an alcoholic and drinks every day, and even as i write this, she is stumbling about in the kitchen after just coming home from the pub.
She lives in a nice house that is paid for by benefits, she also gets maintenence money from me every month without fail!
Meanwhile I work part time as a school caretaker, and am technically homeless. I am in debt up to my eyeballs and have to use a food bank as i cant afford to eat.
I see my son twice a day, between shifts and again after work.
My son is a very bright and happy boy, but i feel he would have a much better upbringing in my care. His mother is constantly swearing and it really upsets me to hear him copying her disgusting language.
My ex's mother and 2 sisters are extremely helpful, and love him very much. They take him out on trips, provide dinners and drinks, and treat him like a little prince, while his mum uses her free time to either go out drinking with her other alcoholic friends or she will drink at home.
I have recently gone back to work after taking many months off, battling with depression.
Please can you help me?
i'm curious onto how I would gain custody of our 8 week old daughter.
she is on formula so there is no attachment to breast milk.
the mother is mentally unstable and has self harmed on over 20 occasions before, before she became pregnant she was an alcoholic and drug addict. she was in care under a child protection act and was in constant run ins with the police.
I couldn't bare to see my daughter being unsafe with her but do not want social services involved again, due to my partners past social services were involved for the first 7 months of the pregnancy.
my first question - how would I be able to get the proof of these actions?
my second question - how would this fair in court ?
I have several concerns.
1. The money I send isn't going on my son. The mother still lives at home and it's her mom who is seemingly paying for things.
2. My ex is unemployed and having breast implants lip implants. This all started a few years back when she had just met a man and within a month her had paid for the surgery and trips abroad (sounds like prostitution to me)).
3. My ex is now with a man more that 30 years older (she is 30) and again he is paying for all these holidays and he is around my son which of course I have serious concerns over.
4. She is rarely with my son as she is always around his house or abroad.
5. I initially wanted custody of my son but my ex just wouldn't listen. Now as her mom is pretty much raising him she is dictating terms of contact etc.
6. My ex is extremely mentally unstable and regularly goes into fits of rage but as far as I am aware hasn't been convicted or been diagnosed with anything despite me suggesting she should get "checked out" for any mental conditions.
Please help
It is extremely frustrating that I don't have any quality time on my own with her.
I looknow forward to your response.
My current situation is that the mother never take care of their needs as she's supposed to, she does not wash their cloths, she doesn't cook, she's always in doctor's appointments, she wants to force my kids to go to Church which is nothing wrong with that except the way she's handling it, yesterday she spanked my 11 year old because he refused to give up his cell phone, she want it to take it because he did not want to go to Church, this morning my kids called and told me that they have no food and that they only ate popcorn all day, this is something that is happening since I was married to her however my kids did not suffer because I was there, she es Bipolar (Diagnosed by a Doctor) and have this moments where she only wants to be in bed while the kids are in the living room without anyone to take care of them. Please help me I'm desperate about this situation. Thank you I need legal advise before I proceed.
I wanted to know what legal action I could take?
Legally he can't take her without my permission, so what would be the best course of action? Should I give him the passport and have him arrested at the airport? Should I have the police waiting for him on arrival to pick her up and the passport?
Please help. Thanks!
I've been separated from my ex for almost 3 years now and we have a 5 year old daughter together... She's recently asking me if I'd be prepared to take on my daughter full time. I now have a new partner and a one year old daughter and we get married in 6 weeks. Where do we stand with changing my eldest daughters residency so that she lives with us? We live 20 miles from her at the moment so she will have to change schools as well as the environment she is in at home. She's admitted to me and her mum that she's not happy at home and she's passed backwards and forwards between 2-3 different houses when she's in her mums care due to her mum working a lot whereas when she's with me she stays in one place. Will a court deny a change in residency even if my daughter admits she isn't happy with her mam and her mam herself has asked if we'd be prepared to take her on??
Thanks
Up a bag of heroine off the floor that fell out of her fathers pocket. He was on the run for 7 months didn't cooperate with Dyfs or the courts. Finally after getting raided by police and serving a week and a half in jail then remarried his ex wife. He contacts Dyfs for the first time in 7 months and wants to file for custody. My oldest daughter is struggling in counseling and seeing therapists.
Has been in crisis. What's his chances of getting any kind of custody or visitation?
I would like to look at full time custody for my son. He is with his mum full time but she leaves him with a new partner when she goes to work or out with friends, I am generally concerned as sometimes he does not want to go home either. Do I have a case here as she is generally I guess a safe and caring mum, so i dont have much to go off other then I am his dad and want to have him in what I believe to be my safer care.
Plus how do I know what background this man has.
Every other weekend he has to go to he’s mothers and have he’s child for weekend We have a new born baby together an my partner first born is unaware that he has a baby brother due to he’s mum not wanting him to know about us. If we was to take it all to court would they stand next to the dad and allow the child be able to see him at Mine and my partners home and for all court letters to come here
I met her knowing she had a 4 year old and 6 month old. Their biological father is a known convict for burglaries and heroine abuse. He has no rights to them.however they were together for 7 years.
However I am their dad and have had their names changed.
I have now got a two year old with her, to which she suffered post natal depression with forcing me to lose my job to be there for the three kids.
My partner used to be addicted to drugs but now works full time while I look after the three children. From waking up in the night to school runs to cooking dinner.
My partner often has mood swings and threatens to leave me and ensure I'd have minimum access to the children if I donot give in to her control.
Personally I would have my daughter and still look after the other two while she is at work, but chances of.that would be slim.
She isn't the worse mum but she is far from a loving compassionate mom.
Where do I stand?
Thanks
What do you think my chances are
i allow regular contact such as video calls most nights
and she comes visits them when she can afford too... today will be her 4th visit with the kids since july
Im worried as hell that when it does go to court she will win the kids back
i have my lil girl in full time school and my boy goes to nursery 5days aweek eevn though its not mandatory
i have social serivces invovment since she put the kids at by breaking into the house in august too and have see me plus i welcomed a famliy support officer too
to stick her nose in also
just really worried that my efforts some how still wont out weight the mother
my boy is 3 and very attached to me and my lil girl has always been by my side
shes 5 in jan
not sure when courts going to be but ive done all i can to play by the book and have had to jump a lot of hurdles to get this far
thoughts on this matter
p.s guys keep up the good work decent to know use guys have somewhere to turn too your time and and efforts are much appreciated
have just been on fathers for justice site and they recommend that you do not use a solicitor but represent yourself, is that the better option and if so how do I go about it
thanks
I want the full custody of my daughter one of the solicitors I met told me that I can have 50% custody if I live near by and if I can take care of baby. (I'm married again and my wife lives with me) I live about 3 miles away from my ex's place. Is it Wright that I can have 50% of custody ?
I am currently married to my partner who has borderline, and pulls her hair out..She isn't on any medication, I have asked her to please see the doctor. She went last week, but I am worried that she didn't tell them correctly. She sees her self as normal.Her family has disowned her, and mine now have too.. She had a bad mental moment last weekend...And I have a 2,5 year old with her.. He is seeing this happen...It breaks my heart. Life is extremely hard with her.I have tried and tired to make it work for the sake of my son. But I am worried for his mental upbringing around her, and its harder that she doesn't understand what she is doing wrong. And every time she explodes, everything must be forgotten 5 minutes after and carry on like "normal"... Reason me writing on this blog is, I am thinking about getting a divorce as I cannot handle this anymore and I am diabetic so this is effecting me there... I would like to know what are my rights, and would I be able to get full custody ?.... We have just recently moved over to Uk.
Thank you.
any help on this would be greatly received.
Thanks
Thanks
Thanks
I was drinking a lot.
3 weeks sober on antabuse and getting all counciling I need.
She has a false brain tumor and I was her carer,I cooked cleaned washed dried ironed looked after son and step sons and she was in bed asleep till 2pm at times.
None of them helped with housework even though I asked and they'd just watch me struggle.
She said she couldn't help due to disability which would be fine.
But two days after being kicked out she's on hands and knees cleaning and so are others.
MUG
She can't walk to shops she sends 11 year old shopping she's partially sighted and is on so many tablets they knock her out.
Do I have a case to apply for custody
Please help
I am currently encouraging myv partner to have another mediation session with her to try and coax the truth about her health out into the open, with a view to challenging her for full custody of the two children.
What I really want to know is how she can justify her position as a responsible parent and what chance we have of proving the complete opposite which is the case. What I really want to know is how she can justify her position as a responsible parent and what chance we have of proving the complete Opposite. What evidence do we need to provide? My partner is very worried about rocking the boat and the effect that will have on his relationship with the children.
Advice needed please!
Many thanks
I have a residence order for my 15month old son to live with me full time with contact to his mother, which was made jan2015 after a 10month private court proceedings.
my son was on child protection for neglect before he was born due to his mothers other children are on it for a few years before, until recently 4years in total. and he was on pre proceedings along with the other children before he was born until week before the final hearing for my private court proceedings. there is drugs and a lot of other things involved, and my son ended up with a number of infections while in her care which she never took him to doctors. social services did there report and recommended that my son lives with me.
now after 5 months since the final hearing and decision made by the courts the mother is saying she is taking me back to court for my son. child protection has recently been drop but a very robust child in need plan is in place on her other children. can she take me to court ? im worried as my son has settled, medicals are all up to date, the routine and me gone back to work part time to accommodate him with proper child care.
I've got a strong case against my ex but been warned by solicitor it will be an uphill struggle as the courts favour the mother. We have same sex marriages and easier adoption for gay couples but a biased outlook on dads.
Can't this website fundraise to try and set a president case? I am sure there's a human rights argument in this as well?
I am commenting today to ask whether I have any grounds to apply for full custody. Also she is being investigated by the fraud team for fraud.
Thanks grant
Any information would be extremely helpfull.
Many thanks, Meg
can pass their citizenship on to their children born outside the United Kingdom on or after 1 January 1983. I hope this helps.
My partner is from Jamaica. He now lives here in London. He has full citizenship and works full time. However he has a son back in Jamaica who he is desperate to bring over to England. He went to court and gained full custody of his son but is under the impression that he has to have a certain amount of income or money saved up before he can bring his son over here. Is he right? Even though the boys mother has given him sole custody.
Please help me on any way you can.Thank you
She lives in Cumbria but wanted to be admitted to Gloucester (she lived there previously), they did not want her and said to go via Cumbria, so her friends took her to Lancaster, where she was admitted to Blackpool Queen Victoria Hospital.
With my son, when have settled Han and got her into school (Nic had been home schooling her).
Nic then discharged herself.
Came to my home (West Yorkshire), stayed three nights, I took her to my doctor and set her up with the local Crisis Team.
Then she went back to Cumbria to sort out moving to Yorkshire permanently.
On Friday she sent her friend to pick Han up to stay the weekend, promising to bring her back Sunday.
She has now sent an e-mail saying she is well and keeping Han.
What can I do?
I am worried sick - Han did not want to go for the weekend as she was afraid she would not be able to come back.
I feel I have let her down and broken her trust.
I am desperate.
My wife sometimes beats my daughter and I have a video showing that she was doing this 6 months ago on my phone and i was asking to stop her.she was pulling her hair and slapping her.I was asking her not to do that
Would that be admissible to get child custody.She likes her 4 yr old son but doenst like our daughter
She can be voilent towards me as well.
what Can i do to get child custody
what other proofs can be collected
She is a doctor
Years have gone by now and I have been seeing my son ever Tuesdays and taking him Wednesday mornings before school and having him ever other weekend Fri,sat and Sunday. Since day one I have had a standing order go from my account every week to hers.
In recent years it has brought to my attention that the boys hygiene has been slipping when I get him from his mum's, for example if I take him home Wednesday morning clean with fresh clothes its quite often that he will be in the same underwear from Wednesday when.I get him on a Friday.! Also I have concerns sometimes about if he is eating correctly. When he comes over he is all ways hungry. I have asked him why have have you not had a bath? There is no gas or hot water, does your mum has a bath? Yeah every day!.
It amazes me because his mum has sky broadband and a car to run but not apparently afford to put gas on the meter.
I don't like confronting his mum , I don't like arguing and its not fair for my son. All I do is make sure when he comes to mine is that he gets fed well with good food and washed properly.
I have my own 3 bedroom house and live with my girlfriend who I have been with for over 5years. She is fantastic with him and he enjoys her company and doing things together. there is nothing more that I would like is for him to be here with us . We both have secure jobs and have family who live within walking distance of us. We also have a infant and primary school on our door step. At the moment the days we have set are through a mutual agreement, how do I think I would stand if I went for custerdy ?
Any comments would be gratefully received .
Thank you.
Will.
My sister is my half sister, we have different dad's, I am 19 now and sister is only 9. Her dad says does not want custody now but before he has informed my family that he does but as my mum has been unwell lately this has worried me this is because her dad drinks and went he does he gets abuser, no to my sister yet but to me and other members of my family.
Therefore I don't want him to have custody of my sister, my mum does not wish to that up actions on his abuse as my mum wants my sister to get to know her dad, I feel the same and at the moment he does not live with us and see her at my house therefore he does not take her out and we can make sure she is safe but if he gets custody and my mum does not get better then I feel she may not be safe in his care.
Is there any way in which I maybe able to get custody of my sister if anything happened to my mother? and if there is what steps would I need to put in place to step me to get custody?
Please get back to me with any information you may have.
I wonder if you can help?
I live in the UK and I am British, I am married with two children. We own our own house etc..
I have a daughter in South Africa which I want to get full custody of. I only found out about her when she was 6 years old. Since then the mother got divorced as she lied to her partner for 6 years and told him it’s his. (I was never married to her)
She is not doing well at school and many other areas, the mother is unable to find a job and unemployed for 3 years now, I have been supporting my daughter ever since I found out 100%.
So my question is, If I gain full custody in South African courts, will I be able to bring her to the UK to live with us. She is now 9 years old.
Any advice will be appreciated.
We had a shared residency order but she left abandoned the children at school.
The kids have now moved on from their abandonment issues and are doing great.
Can I now apply to get the residency order now changed to sole custody?
As we cannot move from the area?
Also we have no forwarding address?
Kids and I want to try to do something about it, what can I do I just want the best life possible for my kids I don't want the life she has chosen to live to be the way they are brought up thanks
I have found out she is with another man.
What are my rights on getting full custody of my children ?
Please help
I am a grandmother of 2 boys I have been in there life since day one they stayed here weekends and in the week there parents are split up and have been for 3 years but still see and stand by each other after my son leaving home when my first grandchild was 6 months old give it 6 to 8 months and he had started staying out weekends and his g/friend was just going out all day basically gossiping around peoples houses and the house started to get really dirty I would help to clean this up and always have the children but in December 12 my grandchildren started asking me to move in I just kept telling them they could when there older but then they started saying there mother wasn't listening to them so they stopped talking to her I would ask both the mother and there father what was going on but got abuse from both of them so I just gave it them back then one of my g/children said he had been threw up the wall by his mother I questioned this but was told they were the parents and they would do what they want I was so worried I went to check the children but got punched in the face by the mother I went home and rang social service and rang a solicitor this is still on going but to make the story short I now have had this all twisted around to me and my husband with lies the children have been told to lie I haven't saw them she has told caff cass worker who is doing a report at the moment that it was me who it her and that I had the children that much because she was intimidated so she let me have them she has gave a lot of lies to my son in which I didn't have much to do with anyway as I found out he was using drugs and that's why all debt was coming to my house for him I have gave them so much and helped them paid debt for them brought shopping and children's clothes
But for them to get out the situation they are in they have just revolved it back to me and now saying my husband is violent all because I want to see the children and I reported a safe guarding
One night I came home from work to find that my partner and my child had gone with a note saying I was controlling etc. Which I found rather odd as I was the one that wasn't allowed to visit friends without the presence of her.
Anyway later on bout 2 weeks after she left she contacted me out of the blue and she needed my help. Quite a bad situation I should say. She then told me she was living in a women's refuge for domestic abuse with our daughter. This I thought was quite sickening as there had been no abuse of any kind from me and the only abuse was from her verbally, once even at my work in front of my colleagues and our daughter over a car seat, I was very embarrassed and didn't know what to say.
Since she has left she has refused any sort of contact with our daughter and she cannot give me any sort of explanation other than she don't think it's in the best interests of our daughter.
I have tried several attempts in trying to meet with her or talk to her about the contact arrangements, even suggested meeting in the children s center and also attempted mediation but she point blank refused, again no explanation.
I have just put in an application to the court for shared residence (C100) and a cause for concern of harm to child (C1A). As I know my partner has mental health problems and there was a suspicion of her having bi polar disorder but nothing diagnosed. There is also concerns that she is leaving our daughter with women of the refuge on a regular basis and also one occasion I know of that it has been overnight. I have found out from my manager, who has worked in a women's refuge previously that they do not screen women that enter the refuge also they just take the women's word about abuse that has /has not happened. Therefore you could be an axe murderer that is abusive and still get a placement in a refuge cos they do not need an evidence of any abuse. So I think this is a potentially dangerous environment for any women and children that are genuinely fleeing from abuse. I have reported my concerns with social services but they don't seem to be taking my concerns seriously.
Any help or guidance about my situation and what I can expect in court would be really appreciated.
Partners X wants custody, as he thinks I'm bad. I think this is based on him being jealous. I have a criminal record (recreational drugs over five years ago), and have smoked pot recently (never around kids!!). He's manipulative and I'm more worried about him turning into someone who'll do something violent cos his toys fell out his pram... Time will tell...
I'm worried about custody issues though and him bringing me into trouble legally... any tips?!
Since my wife admitted haveing an affair earlier this year our marriage as gone down hill. I have recently filed for divorce after discovering she is involved in her second affair and we are not even divorced yet.
Now my main concern is for our three little girls they are my life.
My wife has distryed our marriage with her infidelity, lies and deceipt. Showed no respect for her status of Mummy to our little girls by affairs with 2 different men to date to my knowing. She now has the ordasity to dictate to me when I can have the girls staying with me and when I cant ( all days worked out for her personal convinience) she is pushing me out of the childrens daily life. She claims all benefits for the children and has never offered me anything and has the cheek to ask me for half to their new school uniforms when she claims every possible benefit she can for them and knows she has reduced me to haveing to claim sickness benefit due to the sheer stress of what she has put me and our children through and on principal I have not given her money for uniforms. She will not try to contain herself in front of the children and causes arguments at the drop of a hat and as even resorted to yelling at our 5 year old twin daughters " Your Daddy is trying to take you away from Me". This is so far from the truth because I know our girls love their Mummy and I would never stop her seeing them when she wanted or they wanted. But hence because of my wifes lies & deceipt and constant threats to take our children and relocate in her home town 40 miles away I cannot trust that she will always allow me to remain constant in our girls lives especially if she moves away. She has forced me into a position where I feel I need to try and win full custody of our girls and I have advised my solicitor that this is now my wishes.
My fears do not only lie in the area of how far she will try to push me out of the childrens lives but I also have worries about her emotional health and stability as approximatly 12 mths ago she tried to kill herself by running into the path of oncoming cars. I am also worried over her methods with diciplinning our girls who are twins of 5 years old and our baby 2. Approx 8 months ago one of the twins bit the baby, my wife's way of teaching our little girl not to bite was for her to bite the arm of the offending child leaving a blueish/red bite mark on the little arm of our child. I was not there at the time and have no evidence of this event but my wife told me what she had done and I was appalled with her.
Would really be gratefull for any advise about my hopes for getting custody of our girls. I dont want custody in any way to prohibit my wife from seeing the children when she wants but I now believe through her constant deceipt she may take away from me all that I have left that I love if I dont try to stop her.
Social services have been involved for some time (Self referred) and the baby boy is due on the 8th october.
My partner has just been released from a mental institution, and sadly there is not been much improvement in her health.
Things have been unsettled for a while due to her impulsive actions and i have had to start considering a application for parental responsibility to be passed to me at birth. Its a heartbreaking situation to be in, but sadly i have had to wake up and realise that the mother is far too emotionally unstable to safely bring up a child alone.
I have a meeting booked for next week to put my concerns and plans accross to social services, whom are already well aware of how unstable the mother is.
This is soooo far away from what we originally planned, but her circumstances have just completely spiralled out of control, and her actions can only be viewed one way "unacceptable" But it doesn't make things any easier because i love her dearly. Sadly i had to tell her my plans today, and it has destroyed her. Its a cruel world we live in, but i'm damned if i do, damned if i dont...
many thanks to all that respond
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