Should I go to a solicitor?

[cherry1012]

Hi everyone 👋🏻 I'm new here so bear with me please

My daughter is 3 and been split up from her dad since she was 18 months terrible relationship and he's been up n down in her life. He hasn't held down a job for longer than 2 months, never pays me a penny but will have our daughter when it suits him normally every 2 weeks overnight at his parents house. He had a mental breakdown a few months ago and something happened that triggered this which I still don't know and he's been on medication. He has been up n down and recently went off the radar for a few days not contacting dd which he does most nights. He then says he's not in a good place etc but he's fine to have dd on normal wknds. Now I am reluctant as he has threatened in the past to end it all and kept her once after an argument threatened never to return her.
Up until now he was seeing her every week 2 nights a month overn ight. I want to go and see a solicitor as mediation hasn't worked in the past I am a single parent and don't know if it will cost me but I want to get things put in writing legally contact arrangement etc Not sure how to go about it if anyone can help
Thanks xx

Just to advise I will
Not be sending her to him while he's like this x

Im sorry to hear that you are going through such a stress. I had to go to court for child arrangement order (form on gov web site) but before you need to attend MIAM meeting (mediation). On my meeting lady decided that due to abuse mediation is not suitable and signed this on the form. Both those things costed me around £450. Stay strong for your daughter and keep your focus there.

I would be frightened to let daughter stay overnight with dad in his mental state
You will have no peace until he returns her after visit. What does his parents say?

He has another older child and she has been staying there a lot recently
His parents would say I'm over reacting as he is just having a hard time but is stable.
I'm going to see a solicitor but don't know what to ask for is it a contact arrangement form xx

Contact arrangement will secure your time with children. Which in my situation stopped threats of not giving them back (also made him give me them back). It will not force him to keep contact so if he decides he doesnt want them then it will be his choice. It gave my children routine and predictability and now we can plan to do things on "our" time. Downside is that is rigid and not eaisly changed, something to bare in mind. I didnt really have choice.