Hi, please bear with me, first time I've ever posted on one of these forums but I'm just hoping to get some advice re. Custody and family court.
So, basically I left my ex partner due to domestic abuse, with the help of numerous agencies I managed to get a new home for myself and the kids sorted and left fairly quickly. My ex partner was aware I was looking to leave but didnt believe I would as hes financially controlling, emotionally abusive, narcissistic ampngst other things. Anyway, just before I left to enable to get some help for mu kids, I self referred to Social care Early Help as his behaviour to the kids was not what a father should be like and was progressively worsening and they identified some safeguarding concerns re. My ex partner. Theyve told the social worker a lot but it never escalated to a formal level of involvement.
Now that hes primarily not involved, social care have closed their involvement as the risks been removed but he still has access to the kids. My ex was seeing the kids at my parents for visitation initially (he thought if he did we would get back together) but after I said I had no intention of a relationship he was getting ruder to them so I said contact was to go through a contact centre instead. I reported him to the police for harrassment as he would message constantly and was getting verbally aggressive with me.
Tonight, my ex hand delivered a letter to my parents house outlining his expectations of joint custody for our children. He expects to have them every weekend, every festive holiday or special occasion and every annual leave holiday he has off of work - he works away monday - Thursday night but can have leave periods of up to 4 weeks. He wants 50/50 in all decisions including re school (he doesnt know which school kids go due to social worker helping me move them when moving house)
His demands for 50/50 custody seem very unreasonable, especially as hes never bothered with the kids up until now - would a court grant him what he wants? I cant afford a solicitor and im panicking slightly as i do not know what the normal is so im hoping to see what other arrangements people have or if anyone has any legal advice theyd like to share.
Thanks for reading 🙈