I am worried about my DP's children.
Firstly, the eldest child often arrives late for school. Not 5 minutes but entire lessons and sometimes half days. This was suspected initially (as his ex been seen walking to school very late, plus he made mention a couple of times about being late) but confirmed by the school today after phone call.
My DP has twice witnessed his ex dragging youngest (3) by the hood of his coat in through the door of the house to prevent him going out into the garden.
The first hour or so the children spend with us (although obviously happy to see their daddy) they are quiet and withdrawn. They then relax as time moves on and remember to have fun. If however, they do something they perceive to be naughty (children aren't naughty in my book) they are clearly worried (extreme reactions of crying, wetting pants) until they realise it is not a problem. I know kids (I have 4 boys) are often covered in bruises and cuts but theirs never appear to be synonymous with the story of how they got them. For instance, 3 cuts on back of eldest, claims to have fallen over on his bottom in school playground. Really, there would be nothing that could have caused those cuts in a 4+ playground plus no accident report from the school. Similar cuts on hand had 4 separate stories attached to it. And still bearing in mind kids make things up and get bruised and cut through every day play..
Other things have come back to either my DP or me through the grapevine. One man, a friend of DP's ex's sister's boyfriend (work that out) claimed to have woken up with the youngest (3) in bed with him after DP's ex, sister, sister's boyfriend and him all got very drunk one night. DP's ex had left without her boys to go home (drunk), leaving them in care of her sister, sisters bf and friend. No proof of this one but indicative of the kind of stories we are both hearing.
I have no experience with social services but feel that intervention (at least some investigation) is warranted. Thoughts everyone please. I don't want to be the snitching step mum but two very important little boys in this.
If this gets reported what can we expect to happen and how?
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Worry about step kids welfare, please advise?
5 replies
RocketSalad · 09/05/2013 13:15
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