Kids abusive dads requested contact via lawyers letter

[haidx]

This time last year social work stopped him having unsupervised visits. He was to firstly be supervised by me at all times then supervised by a third party.

the referral came from the school themselves because he’s has scared my second oldest so much she was distraught in school. Then a second referral was put into place because he screamed at me in front of the kids and scared her to the point of being inconsolable all day at school. He just didn’t see them apart from showing up on their birthdays randomly this year. So he’s seen the kids 3 times this entire year

he’s said in his letter he hasn’t requested to see them since last March because he has housing issues. He didn’t. He also claimed him and i were together until last March which we weren’t. And has demanded as much contact as regular as possible

what do I do??

I have phoned social work and gotten an appointment but I have been told they have a big case load just depends on how quickly they can get through it to contract me

does anyone know if I should seek a lawyer? Ignore the letter?

im livid right now and all he cares about is reputation which makes me want to share the social work reports online to make him back off. I won’t but its what I want to do

Universal credit does not entitle anyone to free legal advice!

You are doing that thing, understandably, where you are about 10000 steps ahead of where you need to be, trying to predict things that are simply too far away, with too many variables.

Try to keep it simple.

1. Social services recommended supervised contact only
2. There are records via school etc (and possibly social services) of his behaviour
3. In the intervening year he has not made much attempt to see the children.
4. [I don't know this but am assuming] in the intervening year he has not made much attempt to stay in contact in any form - letters, emails, requests for time, check ins re health and well being etc?
5. He has lied about basic things like where he lives and when you broke up - things that, should it get to that point, you can easily prove are lies.

Under the above, the judge isn't going to be getting too hung up on x or y. If and when he actually takes you to court (fairly unlikely based on his total lack of interest to date), he will need to prove that you have actively kept him away from his kids. He will not be able to do that. No judge is going to go from "yeah, sure, you haven't seen your chidlren more than a few hours in total over the last 12 months" to "have them overnight every weekend" instantly.

In Scotland it entitles you to legal aid which means you don’t need to pay for a solicitor. I assumed that was UK wide. I know sadly as my dd was involved with a deadbeat dad for her child and needed to get a lawyer to respond to his threatening legal letters (which were similarly laughable and untrue- but threatening).