Reuniting an alienated child with a Father

Marie acted for a Father in a case where he had not seen his child for two years because the Mother repeatedly breached court orders and alienated the child against him. Particularly distressing to Marie’s client was that the Mother had actually told the child the Father had died.

The Local Authority commenced care proceedings in respect of this child and two others (not the Father’s children) and as a result the Local Authority Care Plan is for the child to be placed permanently with the Father.

The child is now placed with him on an interim basis under a CAO and Interim Supervision Order pending conclusion of assessments and final hearing. The Mother has only supervised contact once per week and this is likely to continue into the future.