Child arrangements - shared care

[JollyAnt]

Hi all,

Has anyone got any advice on how to get professional / expert support that the family court will take seriously in a contested hearing? I've got contact with a health visitor so far, and cafcass have done a section 7 report.

My child is nearly 3, the counsel for both my side and the Fathers say shared care is a likely outcome but he's seeking 3 nights consecutively wherein 2 of those days he's giving the majority of the childcare time to someone else.

I'd like to have recommendations that this is not in our child's best interests, because I'm available to look after our child on those days myself.
I think the contact and overnight stays should take place on the nights before his days off work.
DC is about to start nursery in the new year and by then will have just had a couple of months of getting used to spending overnights with Father twice a week. Has only been seeing his Father again since March.

I hear that judges regard split weeks to be the norm and reasonable for a child to get used to but I have raised concerns about distress and anxiety worsening. Especially with regards to night time disturbances.
I'd like my child to wake up to either Mum or Dad and be taken to nursery by them.

What sort of professional can advocate for this in my case?

Any advice welcome.
TIA

If the father gets shared care then unfortunately whatever childcare arrangements he makes during his time is nothing to do with you.

In terms of advocating for you, only barristers and solicitors can act as advocates in the family court. However, as the previous poster says, the general rule is that you cannot control what your ex does with your child during his time unless you can show that there are genuine safeguarding concerns.

You need to be realistic, no professional beyond your legal representative will be able to advocate for your preferences.

If there was something harmful then that would be different, but you won’t get a professional to say that using appropriate childcare is a welfare problem.

Just came to bump as I have no experience but I agree with you op it seems shitty for this to be a child’s experience when only 3!! Why does dad want the time of he actually isn’t doing much of the childcare?!
As per your actual question I wondered if a child psychologist would be any use. If the child was older I’d find it more reasonable but at 3 this seems a bit bonkers. Best of luck to you x

A child psychologist can give evidence, but as an expert witness they must give their professional opinion. They cannot make their evidence suit OP and they certainly cannot advocate for OP.

I read somewhere on here about right to first refusal eg if the coparent isn’t actually doing the childcare then the other parent (if available) has the right to say I want to look after our child.
im not an expert though, just something I read

There is no such right in the UK. I believe there is such a right in the USA, at least in some states, but there is no equivalent in the UK.

Maybe Dad wants it so he pays less money (cynical?)

Arrangements that Dad makes in his time are completely out of your control. I agree with you but court won’t. You just have to accept it sadly.
Been there done that.

In the UK you can ask for the right of first refusal and you can offer that it applies to both of you. May not be granted but you can ask.