One Flue Over The Shepherd's Hut - Discuss The Archers Here

[PseudoBadger]

I do hope Lynda has a carbon monoxide monitor in there...

No, adoption also happens when the birth parent wants the step parent to adopt except there are more checks. In both cases the biological father, providing named, has to agree. I expect Henry's wasn't named.

Wasn't there a mention tonight that Henry had bad dreams last night and said he didn't play with anyone at school. Rob was treating Henry in the disempowering way he treated Helen. This is the start of Henry's abuse and isolation. How long until Henry is ounushed for wetting the bed/himself to punish Helen for Rob pooing himself. It's terrifying. How long until home schooling starts due to problems at school so teachers don't notice. Usha can't chuck him out of BHC now because it could remove Henry from Ambridge.

Social workers won't notice. Look at all the battered children they haven't noticed.

P&T have to support Helen and support the building of a case against Knob.

I think the thing about parental responsibility is that it's supposed to be a legal recognition of the birth parent's wishes. I would have been outraged if the legal system had not let me decide that my partner should be a equal parent to my child. But it does seem a bit odd that someone who has only been involved with a child for two years should be considered on a par with a birth parent.

The Gov.uk website says that more than two people can have PR for a child. Hel could sign up Pat'n'Tone, too. Otherwise we will get the angsty story about lack of grandparent rights.
Being realistic, I know the SW will be sending that story our way - because there isn't enough misery piled on yet.

here's the form Rob and Helen would have filled in. It really only needs names, addresses and signatures. The guidance notes do say that legal guidance should be sought before filling it in. Did Rob and Helen do that? Not that it matters, because Helen wouldn't have dared say no once Rob had made his mind up that he wanted PR.

Once Rob had parental rights though Helen wouldn't be able to do the same for Pat and Tony without his consent. If Rob hadn't gained parental rights Afaik Pat and Tony could be awarded legal guardianship through the courts if Helen went to prison. It wouldn't be the same as PR though as in, they wouldn't be considered to be legal parents but would be legal guardians.

It really is quite frightening how easy it would be for a non biological parent to take control of your children in the event of a split.

Seems I was right about Rob painting Helen as the abuser as per Friday night's episode. Presumably he wants Henry so that when the baby is born he will have a solid case for the baby to be handed to him, in order that the sibling relationship be nurtured from the start. He would have less of an argument if Henry had remained with Pat and Tony.

As Helen will be in prison she presumably would have no rights e.g. Where the baby lives etc, and Rob could essentially leave the country with the children and take them back to Canada before she were able to do anything about it. By the time she then leaves prison in several years time she will have no relationship with her children as they won't know her any more, and Rob will have prevented them from seeing her.

I rather hope though that Rob will still die, and in that instance Henry will be returned to Pat and Tony as Ursula will no longer have any say/control, and that the baby will be brought up by them as well in order to maintain afore-mentioned sibling relationship.

In fact I think we need an episode where Jess turns up at the house and stabs him to death, but then disappears. The listeners will know who it was, but no-one else in Ambridge will know. The suspicion will fall on Ursula as Jess will leave the knife behind, Ursula will happen upon Rob's lifeless body with the knife still imbedded in it, will pull it out and her finger prints will be all over it. And she'll go down.....

And the prosecution will then assume that Ursula was in fact responsible for the original stabbing as well and the case against Helen will be dropped. .

Here you are, WannaBe - job advert for you. You'd have my vote, if I had one.

Wrong link! Although you can apply for parental responsibility with Rob too, if you like.

This is what I meant.

Pat seems to have got a grip in herself though, doesn't she ?

They need to open the shop and find Stefan at the bottom of the deep freeze along with a copy of Rob's Big Book Of Wrong-Doing where he confesses all his evil deeds. That'll be wedged between the bags of split peas and organic bread flour in the store room.

the continuity announcer promised worse tomorrow.

on the plus side I have stoppd screaming.

There has been a lot of screaming of "YOU'RE NOT HIS FUCKING FATHER" at the radio these past two days, but it seems nobody else can hear me.

When Tom and Johnny were in the shop store room today I was getting all excited thinking they were about to stumble upon some evidence of tampering of orders or similar from the Knobster. Finding Jazzer lurking behind the cans of cannelloni beans was quite an anticlimax…..

Oh and for Pete's sake when will Pat and Tony get a private eye on the case? There is dirt that needs uncovering!

Knob wants to show what a loving caring parent he is to bolster his case that the stabbing was an unprovoked attack by an unstable woman.

He also wants him because he can control Hellin and punish her at the same time for trying to escape from his 'care'.

Copied from my fb page (I get daily updates saddo )

16 minutes ago
Hello Hannah, as someone who has spent months in the family courts dealing with parental responsibility issues, I am not sure your account is entirely accurate.

Rob told Pat that Helen had forfeited her rights to Henry because of her attack on him; that is not correct. The mother retains primary parental responsibility for ever unless/until it is removed by a court (and you could count on one hand the number of times that has happened since the Children Act came into force).

Rob describes himself as Henry's father; that is not correct. He shares with Helen what the Act calls "the responsibilities and duties of a parent" but he would only become Henry's legal father if he adopted Henry. His status of parental responsibility can be challenged in the courts and withdrawn by a judge. That status could also be shared by other responsible adults (Pat, Tony, Tom, etc) but it does not imply parenthood. It confers responsibilities NOT rights for the Act's touchstone – "the welfare of the child".

Ursula has no legal responsibilities for Henry; it was wrong of her to direct the school not to allow any other adult to collect him (and the school would be out of order to accept that instruction). Her other actions could be challenged as abduction.

Rob has a duty to allow Henry to see his mother and other family members. It does not look as though he is going to fulfil that duty so his position can be further challenged in the courts.

As to the fantastical situation of whether a prosecution witness would be allowed to remain with the victim/primary prosecution witness in this case, I'll leave that to the conscience of your over-zealous scriptwriters.

Sadly I did think that Rob would want Henry as a weapon to use against Helen. I'm dreading the words "We don't want to see Mummy or her family do we Henry. Mummy's a bad person who tried to hurt daddy isn't she? You don't want to see Mummy again do you Henry?" "Awwwright Daddy."

Delurking here

I don't know why I thought listening to tonight's episode whilst washing up would be relaxing!

I too was shouting call Social Services - they agreed for Henree to stay with his GPs so should be informed in any event ...I think the reason that Rob did not go for adoption is that normally (at least with a non-step parent adoption) former partners are interviewed and obviously he wouldn't want a Social Worker talking to Jess..I would love to think that there's some more solid evidence against him but I'm not hopeful.

I want Charlie back!

It confers responsibilities NOT rights for the Act's touchstone – "the welfare of the child".

Whilst this is true as per the wording in reality those 'responsibilities' include making choices about schooling, medical care, where they can live, holidays etc. But no bloody enforceable responsibility to actually spend time with your kids or provide care or share parenting bitter, me? there are many things my ex can stop me from doing. There are no things I can compel him to do. It is all bollocks.

It is true that Henry has right of contact with his family though. (As mentioned upthread) so not sure how that sits with him not seeing Hel but he certainly should see P&T. If they go to court they are likely to get access but that may be all.

As for Rob saying H forfeited her right - Rob says all sorts of things that are not true.

Being thankful for small mercies, at least the Robhypnol is wearing off and Pat is regaining the power of rational thought.

Tonight's episode was infuriating. Johnny and Jazzer sounded like normal human beings. Ursula and Knob pantomime villains and Pat and Henwee are robots.

I still don't believe Henwee actor is a real child.

for Robhypnol.

It didn't just wear off, I imagine Rob's laughter down the phone was like an icy bucket of water tipping over Pat's head.

Well, I'm not up on the legal stuff, but if Pat is planning to talk to a solicitor and potentially take Rob to court to get Henry back - things should unravel? Even if they don't get Henry back immediately, if they raise safeguarding concerns regarding Rob, presumably social services have to investigate? The poor lad is already known to be a witness to the stabbing and there are allegations that Helen was abused, they'd be foolish to ignore the possibility that there could be other issues with Henry. They would talk to the school etc and a change in behaviour has been noted there, and that's not just Pat & Tony's word against Rob & Ursula, that would be an objective report. I'm hoping Rob and Ursula have gone too far and their whole house of cards (custard?) is about to come crashing down.......either that or I stop listening, I won't listen to months of Henry being abused by Rob.

The Daily Beast - even The Daily Beast is shouting at the radio.

It's all too much ...