Section 17 Assessment

[Flappypants]

Hello
Not sure where to post this so feel free to send me to another area….

Please can someone explain to me what the practical benefits and outcomes are of a s17 assessment? My DD told her school she’s unhappy and doesn’t want to be with her father (it’s 50/50 with ex, he’s a controlling narc who MN brilliant people helped me gather the strength to leave seven years ago, awful court process, massive debt, the usual stuff) so MASH got involved again (for the fifth time now) and we apparently meet the “threshold” for the assessment. Each interaction has been about concerns over the children while they’re in his care. Each time he has persuaded them
that it’s just “parental differences” and it has gone away.

I feel like I’m going round in circles. I have a good job but no savings after the divorce. I can’t get legal aid and he has unlimited funds (he accidentally paid me what he pays himself - £13k/month!!) so any application to vary the CAO (and FO) would be a total nightmare because he’d fight it tooth and nail. I don’t believe in no contact but I know what he’s like and a more moderate contact would probably
work better….the DC say he shouts and swears at them, pulls them up the stairs by their arms, are mean to them etc, he’s had a string of partners that the children are introduced to very quickly, but the bed barely cools before the next one comes along….

Anyway….I could go on and on but I just want to know if we are just going round the merry-go-round and it will be made to go away again.

I might start with a safeguarding referral to Social Services as he sounds abusive

How old are your children?

DC say he shouts and swears at them - not great parenting, but early help level.

are mean to them - early help

he’s had a string of partners that the children are introduced to very quickly - not relevant to social care unless partners are a risk

pulls them up the stairs by their arms this is S17 threshold. If it's previously gone to social care and they stepped down, suggests the child voice doesn't match yours.

Parental conflict and lack of ability to co-parent in a way that prioritises thr needs of the child (over your own feelings) can be emotional abuse. That's S17 threshold.

They are 13 (DS, SEN) and 9 (DD).

He is. People bandy the words narcissist and gaslighting without using them correctly. This man was and is the best at making you think that night is day and up is down. The coercion and control in the marriage was grim, and he continues with the children.

It was suggested that my ex wife was autistic or a narcissist.

I'm not qualified to judge that BUT if Being a Complete Shit was a recognised medical condition then I have the paperwork to prove it