What if a Judge distrusts the parents

[bayescr]

In care proceedings where the father deemed the risk and mother the protection.

The judge and guardian were close to making a supervision order, but an unsupervised contact came to light at last minute. It was believed that Mother was the able and credible protector of the child in the presence of the Father, but the unsupervised contact casted doubt over the Mother's compliance with the contact arrangement and allowed Father to meet with the child. There is circumstantial evidence that the parents met but no hard evidence.

The judge refused to make a final order, due to that event.

The Local Authority was pressured to reconsider their application but they held their stance for a supervision order.

The likely path will be that the parents tell their story but nobody believes. The judge will just distrust the parents' story on the balance of probabilities, but Local Authority remaining that their care plan is sufficient.

- What can the parents do to re-gain trust after the loss due to the unsupervised contact?
- What can the judge do if she just decides to 'distrust' the parents, especially the Mother? There is no evidence to prove or disprove the unsupervised contact, it is just a story-telling exercise
- What if an impasse remains between the Judge and LA after 2 rounds of reconsideration?