Child contact - running out of money

[Maybell345]

What do you do when you can’t afford to keep fighting???
I have been being dragged through court for the past 2 years by my ex and his family. I never stopped contact but they hauled me to court anyway. CAFCASS are involved and ex has had next to no contact with dc. Other than a few hours total in a contact centre. He isn’t interested in being a parent but his parents are absolutely loaded and will keep chucking money at the situation until either I buckle or they get what they want (full custody of my toddler) I am now thousands in debt and about to run out of money completely. I can barely afford mine and the toddlers basic bills. We seem to be back in court every month or so with tonnes of solicitor letters in between. My solicitor tries to keep costs to a minimum as much as she can but the other side want to up costs as much as possible as they know I’m a single parent struggling financially. What do I do when I run out of money? Just accept that I hand my child over after fighting for two years to keep them safe? Unless I make myself homeless legal aid have said they won’t pay and if I make myself homeless then my ex will say I’m unfit to care for my dc and then it will be pointless anyway. Please any one any advice??

I will add I’m aware you can self represent but as a single mum I have no one to care for my child so I can do this. My child comes with me to all court hearings already

I've been through court recently-past 2 years with my ex. I stopped his access fue to his drinking problems. I did it all alone. No solicitor. I represented myself. As did he. It was absolutely fine. I mean it's not fine, it was stressful as hell, but there was no way I could afford a solicitor so I just got on with it alone. Unless there are safety concerns regarding you and your son, his father will no get custody and his parents certainly wouldn't either. Re child care, as a single mum I understand...I had to explain I needed appointments during school hours, as your child is a toddler, try and find a child minder. That would be sorry cheaper.

Sorry for typos, being distracted by my son!

I think you posted on one of my posts. Just wanted to say that I sympathise and I too am fighting grandparents for access and they too are loaded and I’m running out of money as well. Can you get your solicitor to help you prepare and then you go into the hearing on your own? I’m probably going to do that for the next hearing. It’s disappointing that courts don’t realise what is happening. Also there is Coram Children’s Legal Centre website. I’ve been emailing them for advice. They are very helpful.

Could you post a little more about the situation as you say you've not stopped contact but that you need to keep them safe?

Is it that you want contact in a contact centre to continue longer than they do?

Maybe try contacting Gingerbread for Single parent families and see if they can help?

Also, I got a direct access barrister so I cut costs in half. So I didn’t pay for a solicitor. You do miss out on having someone to answer questions but you can get answers from Coram (who I mentioned above) and I asked on here quite a lot as well.

When is the next court date? Can you get written in to any contact order that it cannot be taken back to court within a 2 year period? I think you can present to the judge about using the court to harass you.