Where best to get advice?

[GreenGoth89]

My DP and I have had DSS living with us for 4 months now and things with his mother have gone really down hill. DP doesn't want DSS spending the night with her or spending more than a couple of hours at a time because she cannot be trusted not to have her violent partner around DSS. DP is worried that one day he'll turn up to pick DSS up and his mother will refuse to let him come home. DP has PR but as DSS's mother gave him up voluntarily we have no residence or contact order in place. Is there a good site for advice on this subject or can anyone give some light on what he can do so he has some protection if she did try to do something like that? Would we need to go down the social services/CAFCAS route?

Legal advice is your best bet. No point in trying to get advice on line. Visit a solicitor and ask about the options.

but I'm guessing legal aid wouldn't cover this so we wouldn't be able to afford it. Does the community legal advice line still exist?

You need to apply for a child arrangement order and that can only be done through the courts. The order will stipulate where the child lives and any contact arrangements. So either way to get what you want, ensuring mum hands her back, you will have to pay.

If you have concerns about a violent partner, contact SS

They've been involved and decided there wasn't enough evidence to go to court with and closed his case. We will have to pay, just might take a while for us to find the money!

See, that's what I find unbelievable about the law in this country! Someone can report a spurious/ficticious complaint which is dragged pointlessly through the legal system, at no cost to the complainant, (it does happen). And yet here is someone wanting to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or injury to a child, and nobody within the system wants to know or assist!!!