Teeth!

[Tanga]

Things are very difficult between my DH and his ex, for a variety of reasons (including mental health issues) After a very long court battle, we see DSS (now 7) 3 out of 4 weekends and DH takes him to football one night in the week. However, they parent almost entirely separately, with very little communication. DH gets school info direct from the school, medical info direct from the doc, that kind of thing. Medical stuff is a particular problem as ex has a 'thing' about conventional medicine (Doctors trying to poison us, etc).

So - and thank you for reading back story so far - DSS has never seen a dentist. His front teeth came out recently and the new teeth seem to be growing in at very odd angles and seem to be misshapen. DH has politely asked ex to take DSS to the dentist or offered to take him himself. Ex said she would, but each week there is a different (andf frankly increasingly implausible) reason why he hasn't gone.

Can DH take him to a dentist himself?

If your dh has parental responsibility then surely he can?

Well, that's the question I'm asking, really. DH has Parental Responsibility, but on the other hand when he took DSS to the hairdresser's, we were told by the Cafcass officer that this was the 'remit of the RP' and we needed her express permission.

Do you have to register a child with a specific dentist? DD and DS go to our dentist local to our workplaces...maybe I should just ring and ask them there.

Does he not have joint residency - it doesn't haven't to be 50/50 conact.

So the ex has sole residency?

I don't believe that is the case. There is nothing stopping the Dad or Mum getting the hair cut, taking the child to the dentist, or the doctor.

I'm not a lawyer, but my lawyer told me there really is no difference between contact vs residency in regards to parental rights.

As far as I know, working for a dentist, if you have Parental Responsibility you can take the child.

TBH if cafcass said anything, surely your dh can just point out the mums neglect in not ever taking the child to the dentist?

Loving your faith in Cafcass, CarGirl! Mum has a Residence order, Dad has PR and a contact order.

Actually, Cafcass are no longer involved but I didn't want us to do anything that wasn't legal.

I try to remain optomistic. AT the end of the day he takes the dc, mum kicks off what will happen - he'll get told not to do it again? Meanwhiles child has been seen by dentist. If the dentist says that it's appalling that the dc hasn't been before due to state of teeth I'd get that in writing off him

Good point! I'll get DH to make an appointment in half-term at his dentist.