Children’s service are pressuring me to let my abusive ex see my son

DEAR DEIDRE: DESPITE my ex-husband being physically abusive towards my son, the contact centre is putting pressure on me to allow him unsupervised visits.

The trouble is my son doesn’t want anything to do with him.

I’m 37, my ex is 40 and we separated six months ago after a turbulent decade together. I made the decision to leave after he hurt my nine-year-old son on multiple occasions. 

Ever since, he has been hell bent on obtaining custody even though he barely ever showed any interest in his life.

The worst part is that the contact centre seems to have rallied behind him.

On the last supervised visit, the staff made me feel as if I had no choice but to allow him in my son’s life.

They even went as far as saying he could gain 50/50 custody if I didn’t follow their guidance.

All I want to do is protect my son, but it feels like the odds are stacked against me.

DEIDRE SAYS: I’m sorry to hear that you’re worried at the moment.

It is concerning that children’s services know that your son’s dad has been abusive towards him and are still putting pressure on you.

Ultimately your son’s wishes and feelings should be taken into account.

Contact the Family Rights Group (frg.org.uk, 0808 801 0366). It is a charity that advises parents and relatives about their rights and options when social workers or courts make decisions about children’s welfare.