My niece has 2 children aged 3 and 1yr old. She is not married to her partner and has recently split from him due to emotional abuse. He is on both children's birth certificate. She has allowed the father full contact with the children and been totally accommodating to his hours of work. Two weeks ago he picked the children up and has since refused to bring them back. No-one seems to be able to intervene as they are in a 'safe environment'. He is allowing no contact and has not even been taking the 3yr old to nursery as the nursery has advised the father that my niece can pick them up at any stage. He starts back work next week and has organised a child minder but is refusing to tell my niece where the children will be. We just all feel so helpless. She has been to a lawyer for a court date but this can take weeks. Has anyone experienced the same thing? Is there something else she can do to get contact?