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Legal matters

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Is it possible to remove parental rights?

7 replies

Aliiiiiib · 13/06/2022 22:25

Is this possible please? I’m in the UK.

My exH is on my child’s birth certificate. He was abusive to me, both while I was pregnant and while I was feeding my newborn. He has an extensive criminal history, mainly violent and most recently accusations of sexual assault/ rape (not towards myself.)
He was never convicted of the abuse to myself, it went to court but NFA.
He was recently released. I haven’t heard anything as of yet from him. I have a prohibited steps order in place and a non molestation order. So for the next year he can’t come near me, or remove child from my care.
I will have to renew this every year. At some point will the courts stop granting it if a few years go by and nothing has happened?
Am I really expected to re apply every year? When I go back to working full time I won’t be entitled to legal aid and won’t even be able to afford it.
I moved to hide from him, but it’s likely he knows our new address as his sister accessed our records via her job. I can’t afford to move right now though.

what can I do here realistically?
I assume I can’t just strip his rights, but is there a close equivalent?

im terrified of him and if he starts tormenting me I plan to move, but can I change little ones name if so? Or would that require his authorisation too?

He’s likely to pop out of the blue one day when it suits him, when he’s suddenly dying to see his child, but he really only cares about himself and barely saw him when he had the opportunity to do so (first 6months)

I can’t live in fear of him turning up and being granted a share of the care one day. No part of me would feel that would be safe. He has threatened to take child abroad (where our parents originate from) and that I’ll never be able to get him back.

Any help atall will be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
Littlebirdyouaresosweet · 13/06/2022 22:37

Ime a solicitor will do a name change for your dc - cost me £15 . It would be up to your ex to apply to the courts for a judge to make you change it back.

Very very rare in UK to have PR removed. I know of some bad criminals who still got access to dc.....
Have to application ready early every year. Submit and move on. Don't let him rule your life.

Aliiiiiib · 14/06/2022 00:11

Littlebirdyouaresosweet · 13/06/2022 22:37

Ime a solicitor will do a name change for your dc - cost me £15 . It would be up to your ex to apply to the courts for a judge to make you change it back.

Very very rare in UK to have PR removed. I know of some bad criminals who still got access to dc.....
Have to application ready early every year. Submit and move on. Don't let him rule your life.

Thanks for your reply. Yeah the name change is more of a thing so he can’t find us if it comes to it, but pointless if he’ll be able to know the new name. I’ve been speaking to family and the stories I’ve heard or mums racking up debt in legal fees as the Dad is taking them to court for more custody/ right to take the abroad, despite threats similar to what I had. It’s all really worrying and a lot of uncertainty.

OP posts:
millytint44 · 14/06/2022 01:08

Parents don't have rights. They have responsibilities.

Gingerkittykat · 14/06/2022 01:31

Is it possible that a charity like womens aid will help you fill out the papers for the non molestation order so you can file it yourself without the need for a solicitor?

Respectforpeople · 14/06/2022 08:07

You say his sister accessed your address via her job. I assume this was a breach of GDPR, if so I would be reporting her.

Aliiiiiib · 14/06/2022 16:32

Yes her employers are aware but I will take it further as she left the job before being sacked for it, so hasn’t tarnished her record as such.

OP posts:
Aliiiiiib · 14/06/2022 16:33

Gingerkittykat · 14/06/2022 01:31

Is it possible that a charity like womens aid will help you fill out the papers for the non molestation order so you can file it yourself without the need for a solicitor?

Hi, yeah they did help me and I have them in place, it’s just the thought of re applying every year. And I wonder if the courts will hesitate to keep on issuing it year after year.

OP posts:
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