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Legal matters

grandparent trying for custody I need help please

4 replies

niggs512 · 25/04/2012 11:43

This is a bi long winded sorry. My grandson was born in Nov 2011, I have had egular contact with him since inc a number of overnight stays. In Jan 2012 I picked him up for a overnight stay and he had a seizure I rushed him to hospital where it was confirmed he had a number of serious injuries, my son and his partner were arrested and are awaiting charge for child cruelty and neglect. The whole situation is like out of a horror film. It took me 8 weeks of telephoning social services 15 times a day to get supervised contact with him, which is now in place.I will pint out that my sons partner has a 3 y old from a previous relationship who is now living with maternal grandmother, grandmother had not seen her grandson since he was 6 days old and had shown no interest in him. I am now part of the cort process and applying for a residence order for my grandson as is the other grandmother, her assessments are almost complete and mine start in May. The other extended family have been verbally abusive and have indicated that I should of noticed something but there where no marks on my grandson I live with this guilt everyday, I would die for my grandson. There are issues with myself and the other grandmother as I do not feel she is fit and capable of caring for my grandson, she has progressive MS and has had a number of falls and is often tired due to her illness, she will be living alone with both children if the court goes in her favour. The social worker states that she has passed the assessment how on earth this has happened I will never know, I know she also had a conviction for cultivating drugs approx 15 years ago. I feel I am fighting a loosing battle, I am in a stable relationship, financially secure and the social worker as indicated that they are sure I will pass the assessment but because of the other sibling they are moving to place both children together. I have offeed to visit weekly and take my grandson to them once a fortnight for weekends and split equally every school holiday. The other grandparent has offered I have contact if I telephone and ask to see him. I do not know where to turn its seems like its a done deal aleady the other grandparent had origonally stated she wouldnt be able to manage both children but there has been a change in social workers and its seems this was not recorded. I have a solicitor and email her any information I can get to back my case but whether this will be enogh I do not know. I feel so helpless and let down by the authorities, I just hope and pray they are not going to put my grandson at any more risk

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Svrider · 25/04/2012 11:44

Sorry you are going thru thus
Bumping for anyone with useful advice

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Chubfuddler · 25/04/2012 11:44

Would you be prepared to have them both and offer the maternal grandmother generous contact? It might help if you were.

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titchy · 25/04/2012 11:51

I would have thought the best you could do would be to get regular contactwith your gs, say every other weekend and once during the week. If theother GM has been approved to care for them both, as you have been advised ti is not seen as desirable that siblings are split up - which I have to agree with.

I certainly don;t think anyone would agree that you have the older child as well seeing as theyare not your grandchild.

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niggs512 · 25/04/2012 15:43

I understand what you are saying I would normally agree that the children stay togather. I have offered to take my non-biological grandchild but her biological father who has not seen her for 15 months has also come onto the schene and is untaking the assessments. The problem there is I know there was issues around domestic violence in their relationship too and social services have indicated this could problems with him gaining full custody of the little girl. I honestly do not beleieve that the other grandmother is fit anf healthy enough to cope with both of the children, I have seen her face covered in burns from when her MS gets back and she fell down the stairs, sometimes she looks drunk and slurs her words, again this is the MS and she often has no energy to move. How will she do this alone with a 3 year old and a 5 mth old baby who is likely to have some physical disability and learning difficulties?

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