contact rights

[nannyto1]

My grandson currently lives with me ( has been for a week and half).
He has 4 contact sessions a week for 2hrs each time, one with dad 3 with mum.

These are not court ordered, do i have any right to reduce mums, reasons being as yet Im not receiving financial help (paperwork going through), plus it intervenes with his tot group session, plus feel mum needs to show she deserves that amout.

Very new to all this

[nannyto1]

Thank you for reply.

SW are the ones who said i must attend tot groups.
Mum gets more access due to dad working.

They have offered a bus pass until allowance starts, as their pick up/drop off service is unreliable.


Have got a meeting today so hopefully it can be discussed.

[David Roth]

Hi nannyto1

I'm aware from your query that I have just answered on a different thread that you are being assessed to foster your grandson. This means that he is looked after, so the local authority probably has parental responsibility for him (unless he is voluntarily accommodated). This means that you cannot make your own unilateral decision to stop or reduce contact, you must do it in consultation with the social workers.

Their decisions about contact should be based on what is best for the child. If the parents are not turning up for contact, or ignore the children during contact, or do things to upset them, then they might consider changing the arrangements.

The level of contact would usually vary according to legal circumstances. If care proceedings are taking place, parents might be allowed a lot of contact, until it becomes clear that the children cannot return to them. But if a care order has been made, and a legal decision has been made that the children cannot be raised by their parents, then the contact would usually be at a far lower level than you describe. It is the purpose of contact that is important. As long as children might be returning to their parents, then there would be a point to frequent, regular contact. If the children are not going back to their parents, then seeing them several times a week is only likely to confuse them.

[nannyto1]

Thanks David for another reply.

Only been doing this for 2 weeks so completely new to it all.

The mother ( my daughter is thinking of giving up one of her days so he can attend tot group or change day or time.

We are going to a meeting in the 20th to remove him from the child protection plan and start the looked after child meetings.