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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To stop my children visiting their dad?

26 replies

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 21:54

I have always encouraged regular contact (every other weekend) with my dc and their dad. However he's always been terrible with money and somehow is living in a 2 bed flat with his gf and her 3 dc (one of whom is their baby together). He admitted there was no room for our 3 dc and suggested they stay at his mother's house, but he would have them all weekend and drop them at his mum's at night.
I then discovered that although ex mil had a 3 bedroom house, she had her own double bedroom, her partner had his own double bedroom and my 3 dc, aged 9, 11 and 13 were expected to share bunk beds in a tiny box room. Ex had also been smoking in this box room and the whole room stank of stale fags. Obviously I then said that this was not suitable and until ex could provide suitable accommodation he could no longer have them overnight.
He continued to have the dc during the day on his weekends and they would come home to sleep. However 11 year old dd recently sent me a video of her dad's flat and I really don't want them to go there at all. There are black bags filled with rubbish on the floor. Random rubbish like empty milk bottles and coke cans lying around. A thick layer of dust and grime everywhere. Pet turtles living in their bath. The toilet was unspeakable. Brown. Looked like it had never been clean. I wanted to be sick.
I don't think they should spend any time there at all.

OP posts:
abbsisspartacus · 01/01/2019 21:58

Unfortunately there living conditions while not ideal won't stop daily contact you can however ring social services with your concerns and forward the video to them state you don't want to stop contact but your concerned about the environment for all the children

Santaisfastasleepatlast · 01/01/2019 21:59

Grim. If he took you to court he would have to show he was providing somewhere for the dc to sleep adequately. He can't, they sound at risk of potential bacteria from the reptiles - they carry ecoli I believe. I would be having them home at bedtime.
I have a snake and had reptiles but in secure and hygienic vivariums not in the family bath!!
Would be putting a call in to ss too. Their half sibling is living in that squalor.

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 21:59

I suspect if I went to court I would not have to send them there. He would not pursue it anyway. But I just don't want him to see them at the flat, rather than stopping contact altogether.

OP posts:
Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 22:00

I already have them home at bedtime. There's not a chance I would allow them to sleep there. But I don't even feel comfortable with it during the day.

OP posts:
greatandpowerfulozma · 01/01/2019 22:03

I don’t think you’re being unreasonable.

WendyCope · 01/01/2019 22:06

I would NOT send them at all. Let him take you to court (as if...) Hmm

StephenQueenBooks · 01/01/2019 22:07

To be fair I don't blame your MIL for only having the bunkbed in the box room when her son has his own place. She shouldn't have to provide things like that as a grandparent.

The place does sound grim though, I feel sorry for the children living there full time. I would stop the kids from going there and allow him contact in your home if possible? Or maybe you can go with the kids to meet him at a cafe or something? Not ideal I know but better than them going there.

If its that bad could you report to SS? Not just for your kids but the ones living there fulltime?

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 22:08

No I don't blame MIL. She's getting old and can't cope with the dc being there so much. It's not her problem to deal with.

OP posts:
Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 22:12

A screenshot from the video

To stop my children visiting their dad?
OP posts:
Zofloramummy · 01/01/2019 22:15

Oh god that’s bad! Envy (vomit)

NamedyChangedy · 01/01/2019 22:17

Wow. Based on that screenshot alone, I wouldn't be allowing my children to enter the property. And presumably your children aren't comfortable spending time there either?

agnurse · 01/01/2019 22:17

That's gross. Not sure what you can do if there is a court order for him to see them, short of contacting social services.

As an aside - reptiles can carry salmonella, not E. coli. This can be VERY dangerous for children under the age of about 5, so children that young shouldn't be handling reptiles. Every child should wash hands with soap and water after touching a reptile.

Ginger1982 · 01/01/2019 22:19

Jesus. Tell him contact only out with the home. If he won't accept that, stop contact. Let him pursue you through court, manky bastard.

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 22:20

There is no court order and I really do not think a family court would order me to send them there. The problem is that eldest dd really wants to see her dad but the other two are not bothered. We have a lovely, immaculately clean home and I really do not want them to think that is a normal way to live.

OP posts:
Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 22:22

They have a toddler which is a concern. I'm surprised a health visitor hasn't picked up that something is wrong.

OP posts:
twilightsaga · 01/01/2019 22:32

Please make an anonymous referral for the toddler to children's services. Child protection is everyone's responsibility and you cannot ignore those neglectful home conditions. No one else may get to see them, you have so you must report it.

Mumofaprinny · 01/01/2019 22:37

Call social seevices and do not send your children back to this shithole of a house again. If your oldest really wants to see him, then I’m sure he won’t mind not bringing her back to this dump!

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 01/01/2019 22:38

I will. Can I make an anonymous referral? For the sake of my kids I don't want to be named.

OP posts:
twilightsaga · 01/01/2019 22:42

Yes it will be anonymous just let them know

abbsisspartacus · 01/01/2019 22:43

I've actually seen worse toilets doesn't make it right or suitable for children

Yumyumbananas · 01/01/2019 22:48

You can phone NSPCC to make an anonymous referral.

SteveMcqueensJeans · 01/01/2019 23:40

You can make an anonymous referral to the nspcc online. Health visitors may not have been in the home since the birth visit so may have no idea about the current situation. I wouldn't let any child in that property and you should defend their right to be in safe and hygienic circumstances. If one of your children wants to maintain a relationship with their father he can take them out for the day (plenty of free and low cost options available). Don't send them to that, you are colluding with the neglect if you do but you know that I'm sure. Good luck!

Farontothemaddingcrowd · 04/01/2019 20:59

Do you think that environment would meet the threshold for intervention? Also my job means that I don't want my children to end up on any kind of at risk register- I work with children. They don't go there and so there should be no risk to them, it's the other dc living there that I would be more concerned for.

OP posts:
twilightsaga · 04/01/2019 21:15

Your children wouldn't. They may do a visit to your children's fathers home to check on the conditions. But your children don't live there and arnt going there so it wouldn't affect you

Yeaididthat · 04/01/2019 21:20

Phone and report the conditions, if for no other reasons than for the sake of the other children

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