Help with social services

So sorry you are in that situation. The foreign travel element is not something I can comment on as never come across this but what I do know is that social services primary concern will be the welfare of the children. It is clear that you did everything you could to safeguard them once the issue was brought to your attention and got out there to them, demonstrating your commitment and concern for them.

SS will probably want to carry out assessments and monitor the situation for a short time but I highly doubt they will intervene in the provision of care by you unless there are underlying issues in the care you provide (not suggesting there is). I suspect they will suggest to prohibit unsupervised contact with Dad until the situation is under control.

They may be concerned if you continue to allow unsupervised contact in light of their Dad’s apparent lack of capacity to care for the children as that would call into question your judgment and ability to safeguard.

Beyond that, I would suggest just asking social services for a chat to talk through what happens next. Citizens advice will have some info and can point you in the direction of a family lawyer if things end up going before the court for a prohibitive order.

Hope everything works out okay for you all and Dad gets the help he needs to be active in the kid’s lives when safe to do so x

Hi, by the sounds of it you as a mum have nothing to worry about, custody agreements etc allow a parent to take their child away on holiday. The embassy got you on the first available flight so you could collect your children, i bet you were in an absolute state for this time as any parent would be. As their dad has parental responsibility for the children whilst in his care I would imagine that social services would be looking to make sure that when the children are in his care that they are properly looked after going forward. They can probably enforce a no alcohol rule whilst in his care, they will speak to your children whilst they are in school to ask about their father and if it was a regular thing etc. They may even say until he can prove himself that he would have to see children at a contact centre. I would say that he would never be able to take them on holiday ever again. They are looking out for their wellbeing whilst in his care. I hope their father is absolutely ***** himself about his behaviour, if he isn't then he isn't a father. Please don't worry, you have done nothing wrong xxx

Hi Katie

What an awful experience for your children and how upsetting this must have been for you...

It does not sound as if you have anything to worry about regarding how you look after your children. You got yourself to them as quickly as you possibly could. Your children's father, on the other hand, has a lot of work to do now. Have you received any communication from him? Have your children felt able to talk to you about this situation?

Best wishes.

Its not you as a parent they will be looking at so I would try not to worry you let them go with their father im assuming he doesn't do that everytime he has them and I'm guessing you won't be letting them go again which means they are safe xx

The issue is him, not you. A conversation about how he provides for them and what is the norm will happen to assess the situation before they do anything. How they children felt depending on their age and understanding should be questioned.

Schools must now record all children with SS involvement even if just for one day and keep track of them.

Remember you have done nothing wrong.

Lets have a chat based on this.

Cheers.