hi im new here and just wondering if anyone has any advice whether your going through the same as me or maybe not but i would like kind words only please..
my children are with my dads niece placed under an SGO and have been there for just over 3 years as i was dealing with depression and had no help from family at the time i was tricked into signing a voluntarily S20 (section 20) meaning signing my children over to SS and was made to believe it was all temporary and i could get them back at any given time. the separation from them soon made my depression worse and was constantly overthinking that i was tricked and i wouldnt get them back. i had applied to end the S20 after 5 days and was told that it wasnt possible and that the SW will be in touch and i would have to attend court.
i didnt have a very good relationship with the SW at the time and felt she was out to take my children as she seen me at my lowest point in life and instead of helping and supporting me she offered to place my children under s20. i received a letter for court to that the SW had applied for a interim care order and used my mental health as the reason. anyway cut a long story short throughout the whole proceedings i had a outstanding reports from the contact worker as my contacts with the children were amazing and not one thing they could use against me, my eldest son however didnt take too well to the separation of me and him and started playing up in school lashing out, his foster carer had reported to me that he had been sobbing his heart out for me and wanted to come home. my son had been asking me at contact when he could come home, i would record everything down in a notepad and show it to my solicitor. i believed i would get them back and i fighted it all the way in courts and they said my mental health/depression will always be a risk, the SW also made false allegations against me and these were put before a judge and false doctors reports this made my life hell as they then applied to take my children down the adoption route. i fighted against this and was granted an SGO with my dads neice and i would still have contact with them. this made me more at ease but still i was heartbroken as they had taken my babies away from me and used MH as an excuse. this is disgraceful. since the separation from my children i have not had any relapse into depression and i have found new ways to handle my emotions. i picked myself up and did what was best for my boys.
I have a very good relationship with my children aged 4 and 7 and speak with them regularly by video call, i also have contact with them where i organise days out with them (guardian comes too). me and the guardian have a positive relationship and speak all the time.
my eldest son has still been playing up since being placed under the SGO and i have always said that he would need some professional intervention with coming to terms of the separation from his mother. he has changed from being this bright eyed full of life happy little boy to this unhappy boy. hes getting into trouble at school and at home.
the SGO placement has been breaking down due to his behaviour for several months now and the guardian has mentioned to me that she may have to call SS so i was wondering if i could discharge the sgo and get him back. i know there is a process for this to happen but i was wanting to know where would i stand to get him back. i have taken into consideration the fact that he has been under the sgo for 3 years and hes settled in the home and goes to school, has all of his friends and to take all that away may have another impact on him. but i do believe it would be in his best interests to come back to me.
i have spoken with CAB and they have advised me to take it back to court but is there not another way? as my understanding is that the guardian has PR and theres no SS involved so would it not be a case of just returning him back to me?
im sorry for the long essay lol but just felt i should get it out there.
i have been watching conversations on this site for a few weeks now and felt scared to share and ask for advice off strangers but there it is i did it.... please be kind when commenting..