Good morning,
I'll try and make the backstory brief. I had to safeguard my son from his father earlier in the year. I've always had my concerns, but didn't think I could act on them as most of them I couldn't prove, and he has PR.
I was given insight to his parenting by the woman he was in a relationship with after me.
My concerns were justified. They are around DV, DA and alcohol misuse.
She was also given disclosure under Claire's Law, something I had been refused as we were no longer in a relationship.
He started court proceeding for access, and we are now at the point of starting a section 7. In the interim he's only being allowed videocalls with our son. (court ordered)
Last week, I was told he'd been driving. (He lost his licence just over a year ago, for 22 months.)
Not only that, but he's been driving children. To the pub. Then has driven them home.
The father of these children reported it to social services, and their mother was given a stern talking to.
Will this flag up on the section 7?
I'm at a point where I feel this proves that any order telling him to stay sober around our son would be ignored. He's always shown a disregard for the law, and although I know that, CAFCASS or the courts would perhaps see it as my word against his.
Do I trust that this will be included in the section 7, and that CAFCASS will advise accordingly, whilst I still self represent. Or do I instruct a solicitor so that my concerns are really pushed?
I paid for advise from a solicitor at the start of all of this, and he was confident in my abilities. I guess now I'm thinking it could be getting more complicated.
Has anyone been through anything similar?
Thank you 