I am separated from my husband and we have two small boys 5 and 3. They live with me full time and see him twice a week one day is classed as childcare as my youngest is not in school yet.
Since February there have been a couple of incidents where I am questioning his ability to look after the children. He stayed in bed all day and they were unsupervised. He didn't give them lunch. He had them overnight, the youngest for the first time, my eldest told me that he left them on their own in the flat for a long time and when he came back he was sleepy and talking rubbish.
Recently he's been in hospital for three weeks and hasn't told me why.
I had to sort out childcare for those days or take days off.
He turned up after his stint in hospital as if nothing had happened to take the children. He looked ill. I said no I was taking my eldest to school and had taken the day off to look after my youngest. He called his mum round and she physically blocked my car so I couldn't leave. We then walked and they followed us (her and my ex and her husband in his car) the 15 minutes calling me all sorts of things (not swearing) and accusing me of things. The children witnessed this all. We got to school and they waited outside his classroom so we had to stand somewhere else. They called the police who then came round to tell me that she had accused me of assault. They didn't believe her.
Today I found out that same day she went to my younger son's nursery and told the staff there that I was shouting at the children and that she was very worried about them and that my youngest was going to be distressed. He was fine.
My question is what can I do about this woman? This is the second time that she has tried to accuse me of assaulting her and she is now telling lies to the nursery. Is this enough to get a restraining order? Can I do this without a solicitor? What is the process? This has basically been going on for over two years. She lives in the midlands and the harassment isn't sustained but it is distressing to the children and stressful to me.
Thanks.