Family court any advice appreciated

[Beckymcm93]

Hi, I am being served court papers from my ex for parental responsibility, my daughter is 15 months she last saw her dad last July at 5 months old I have never stopped him from seeing her or any of his family. While I was pregnant he took an overdose and was diagnosed with bipolar so I had him come to see his daughter at my house where I could help him with her, he wasn't very interested while seeing her was always late turning up and accusing me of keeping her awake. Last August I received a letter from his solicitor saying he wanted to see her took a long time to organise as he wanted a DNA test, it was proved he was her father and march 2013 was set up at the contact centre that he would see her Saturday mornings. I took my daughter and he didn't turn up twice he got given another chance but ignored his solicitors calls I then left it as he didn't want to see her after all. 1 week ago I received another letter from his solicitor saying he would now like to see her and would like parental responsibility and more contact than at the contact centre. I have done everything he wanted before and he let his daughter down so it's all going to court I have a solicitor as she knows everything but I was just wondering if anybody has been through a similar thing and had any advise please
Becky

[betterthanever]

Becky, the solicitors on here will be able to advice you better but the main thing is your DDs welfare. She is young and will not remember that he has failed to turn up before which is a good thing. Looking to the future if he is able now to offer regular contact it could be a good thing.

Should he take it to court CAFCASS would probably get involved. Have you heard of them? thier website will give you more infomation. They will ensure as you do, that the childs welfare is kept at the heart of all contact. I would imagine a court would order contact at a contact centre and only when that has gone well for a while then it could continue outside the centre given the history you have mentioned above.

Cafcass will ask for the background to the current contact disagreements which would be what you have said here and I would imagine you have all the documents related to this, attendence records from the centre etc?

If it goes to court the first hearing is a directions hearing and cafcass would try to get you to agree to arangements by consent before you actually go into the court room- so it maybe that the contact centre proposal of yours could be agreed - you may then come back to court at a set date for a review - both of you can then say how this contact went and it would then be decided if the contact centre is to carry on, or if things haave gone well it can progress to outside the centre.