Refusal to return children's belongings.

[2016Pickle]

Can anyone help me understand why it is that the police will not help with the following situation.

Two daughters lived with their father. After the eldest turned 16 she decided that due to the difficult living conditions at home she would live with her mother. She called her father to inform him of this when she and her younger sister were at their mothers home visiting for the weekend.

The father responded by saying that he didn't want anything more to do with either of them and that if she were to leave then the other daughter can stay there too.

This is the thing. He has cut them off completely. Refuses requests from SS and the mother to give them their passports, birth certs or any of their personal belongings. They have nothing. He's refused to allow them their clothes, personal items and items of sentimental value (worth some value) which is causing them distress.

Is this not theft? Emotional abuse? It's totally vindictive and spiteful. He's moved in with his girlfriend and her children, refusing to communicate with his own children at all.

[2016Pickle]

True. A lot can be replaced. The police won't get involved at the moment as they say its domestic. I don't understand how the law doesn't protect the children. He's left them in a terrible position. It's the items that can not be replaced that causes the most distress, an original painting that one of the children won in a competition, not to mention their comforts. I have a few other words for him as well as prat. All this on top of his total rejection of them. Heartbreaking.

[LumelaMme]

I can't offer you any advice, but I just want to say how sorry I am. Have you tried the Citizen's Advice Bureau?

[2016Pickle]

No not yet. The police have told us to go to a solicitor. It's just so futile. If we want to support the children we'll have to fund it when it could so easily be resolved.....it makes me so angry.

[HeddaGarbled]

How long ago was this? He's likely feeling extremely hurt and angry at the moment. Imagine getting that phone call, not even a face to face explanation.

Is there any way you could get a family member to do some mediation between them? I think the emotional temperature needs to be cooled down if possible so that the girls can have contact with their dad and he doesn't feel so rejected.

If he's abusive and mediation approaches don't work, then yes, the legal route will be necessary but I wouldn't rush into that as that will just compound the breech in the relationship.