Legal Question in Family Law in United Kingdom

Can social services take children after 5 years?

Six years ago my friend divorced the father of her 2 children for another man

taking her 2 children with her. Whilst in this relationship she and her

partner started taking drugs, naturally the kids dad was worried about them

and got the help of social services to remove them from my friends care. My

friend then moved areas away from her partner to make a clean start and get

her children back which she did with the help of the courts. A few years later

she met up with that partner and they have since been in a relationship

having to lie to her kids father because she is worried that if the truth comes

out he will get social services involved to remove the children. My friend and

her partner would like to come clean about their relationship as they are

expecting their 1st baby but at the same time are worried about what her ex-

husband will do. Is their anything he can do? Will social services still have a

record of this even though it was more than 5 years ago? My friend and her

partner have now been clean of drugs for years, they both work and my friend

also has a mortgage.. The children (aged 12 & 7) are happy with mum.


Asked on 1/12/06, 7:54 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Andrew Dutton Legal -Zone

Re: Can social services take children after 5 years?

If your friend is now caring for the children without difficulty it is most unlikely that social services would feel the need for any involvement and there could be no question of the children being removed. That said they will certainly have records of the difficult time and relating to the children's removal.

There could be sense in this situation of taking the initiative and discussing matters with social services.I would certainly not advise that she continues to hide the true position from the children's father. He has parental responsibility for the children and is entitled just as much as their mother to involvement in their upbringing.

I hope this will help.

Andrew Dutton

Legal-Zone

[email protected]

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Answered on 1/12/06, 9:33 am


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