Wife wants step children back.

The local authority clearly have no idea that these girls have been left by their mother and are living with a person with no parental responsibility for them. He may be the thoroughly decent person he seems to be from this thread but he has wilfully chosen not to make things official. I very much doubt the GP knows the situation.

This, unfortunately you’ll always get the backstabbers on here OP, it sounds as if you’ve done a great job, hang on in there and get good legal advice.
Good luck, I hope it works in your favour.

Sounds more like an unregistered school

Where is the line between a tutor and an illegal unregistered school?

The tutor. He's said that more than once.

FFS, where do you get "hide them away" from? They are living in the house they always lived in, they've been seeing their mother, they are going out and about, accessing local activities, and socialising; as they are being home schooled, you can bet the local authority is involved in checking on that; and there will be people like the GP involved. OP isn't "just deciding" to keep them, he's asking what he can do about the situation.

Why do people come on here and just make things up instead of reading the information clearly given in the thread?

You need to make an emergency application to court for

Permission to make application
Child arrangements order that the children live with you
Prohibited steps order that she cannot remove the children from your care or anyone else you entrust their care to
Parental responsibility

Complete forms c100 and c1a

Do a mini statement setting out the background and issues and why you require these orders.

You must do this as a matter of urgency.

Unfortunately I think in legal terms you have no right. I know it’s easier said than done as the moment has passed, but you should have contacted social services as soon as the mum left the children in your care - so there was some sort of formal log that the parents abandoned them and you was their sole carer. Now she’s asking for them back, if she got the police involved, you have no parental responsibility and the kids would go straight to those with pr - no questions asked.

im not saying it’s fair, you seem like such an incredible person to be raising children that are not your own - that takes one hell of a person. Especially as you done it for no financial gain, it was all for the sole purpose of it being the best interest of the children. If you do have the finances I would ask for legal advice to continue to see them. I would try to be on best terms with the mum so she cannot withhold them from you and you can still keep somewhat of a relationship with them.

i feel for you, it must be so heartbreaking to go through this and I really hope it works out

Sorry, no advice to give.
But wanted to congratulate you on the wonderful dad it appears you are.
Thank goodness those girls have someone they can count on.

OP, honestly I think you’ve deliberately avoided telling social services what’s happened to prevent their involvement. There is no way in the world that it hasn’t occurred to you in the past 3 years that it would be the right and proper thing to do. Even now, it’s clear you are reluctant to do it but there is no way they wouldn’t be involved once things become official.
The thing is, providing you are a safe person, they probably would have supported you in obtaining a special guardianship order in your circumstances and you would not be in this situation now.

Well, I think you're amazing. Good luck, I hope they can stay with you.

My advice would be to come off this thread and listen to the legal advice that you are waiting for. Then proceed from there. And good luck.

You need to talk to ss and get parent responsibility which sadly might be hard now. Please get proper legal advice. Those poor girls, they safe world they know is changing in a few days

You sound like the dad they need and love.I think you need to contact social services as a matter of urgency.Reading the mum’s email should indicate for ss her lack of caring

There is no obligatin to tell SS that a step-dad is caring for his children, its a family arrangement between him and the mother.
SS do not refer to Cafcass, they are appointed by the court.

OP needs to issue an application to the court today.

I and others suspect that the Mother has now run out of money/a partner to shag and provide finance and wants to get them so that she can claim benefits?

This. Unfortunately you’ve been monumentally naive in not protecting these girls legally, especially as you seem to have done a sterling job elsewhere. I do wish you luck and able to keep the girls safe.

I’m curious as to why she now wants the kids, OP do you have any idea?

You sound amazing, I hope all works out for you and the children

Who home schools them while you work?
You need to see a lawyer and those kids need a court appointed advocate to speak for them.
For now if mum is unsafe then do not let them go with

Jeez, there are some nasty posters on this thread. Ignore them, OP. Best of luck.

Where did he deregister the kids from mainstream school?

I think you have done brilliantly to step in as a father figure when the girls Mum left in a chaotic way
You have got a plan in place and you are the girls protective factor and they remain happy and settled with you.
I agree SS should've been informed at the time but the Mother has only just requested them back now
I advise you to present the solicitor with as much history as you have and gather names of witnesses involved in the DD's lives. I say this as SS will likely refer you to cafcass who will investigate the circumstances and interview everyone and the DDs wishes will be taken into account.if the Mother was concerned for her DDs welfare at all she would have not demanded them back on a date so close to contacting you.
I would think this is because you don't have time to get advice
Wishing you the best of luck

Hmm that's strange as myDS lived with his biological dad for a while - and his Dad never had PR. No one batted an eyelid

Why the f* are you not bothering to read the thread? He's already said that his parents stepped up with the payments after his wife's gambling ruined him.

@stephen8 has your ex been claiming child allowance during this estrangement or was it given to you?

@stephen8 this is so so hard for you. all i can suggest is what other PPs have said. this will be a long road. it has already been a long road for you to walk alone for children who are not biologically yours but who see you as their only stable parent. good luck to you and the children.