My daughter(6) came home from her Dad's house and told me her stepmum has thumped her in the back whilst eating. My eldest daughter herd the shouting but didn't witness the violence. Both of my children have told me that their stepmum began swearing, DD told her that swearing is naughty and my mummy said so. Stepmum then thumped her in the back so hard she choked on her food and stepmum said "I don't care what your mum says, your mum is a nobhead".
This was eight weeks ago now. I immediately rang social services for advice, they agreed to seize contact as my daughter's father is standing by his wife and calling DD a liar, he doesn't want to see them anyway apparently till DD tells the truth 
. However social services have offered no support because they have said I'm taking the necessary steps to protect DD.
I'm really concerned about where I stand with parental responsibility. I mean legally my children's Dad could remove them from school at any point and he's refusing to acknowledge any of this, calling DD a liar. I have thought about applying for legal aid to get advice about the best and most appropriate steps to protect my children, however it mentions having proof. The only evidence I have is that DD told her teacher who I had a chat with and my initial report to social services. Basically it is DDs word against stepmums. Both stepmum and Dad have a long history of being difficult, letting the children down with contact and imo poor parenting. Examples would be hitting her biological children Infront of my children (I reported this to social services too), selling DC Christmas presents on boxing Day, refusing to collect children from the door and demanding the children walk by themselves to the car park in the dark ages 5 and 8, on days of contact taking children into school hours late, dirty and with no breakfast. Honestly I could go on forever. Please don't think I have been lax in allowing this treatment, I have fought for my children with every ounce of my being. It's been very difficult trying to maintain contact for the children because they love their Dad and cutting him out of their life would upset them Vs his shitty parenting. I have sought the advice of social services on a few occasions and never overlooked any form of neglect or abuse.
If anybody with experience could point me in the right direction I would really appreciate it, thank you :)
Oh and sorry if all this reads a bit disjointed, it's been a long day and I have a bad case of sleep deprivation!