Sadly, we are now in very difficult times. For any absent Dad - with or without an Order or agreement in place - some access difficulties are now unavoidable. Unlikely, in a lockdown like this (and hopefully not a lockdown of many months ☹️) that the rules issued last night are going to deal with how separated families are going to ‘socialise’. Because socialising is what this is. ALL households mix only with their own households. Therefore no visiting other households for any reason.....otherwise the many sad Grans on here who are not high risk could carry on seeing little GC’s as their normal routine dictated! These are infant children who live - as they’ve always done - in the family home. Father moved out. He lives elsewhere. The rules now have not been created to pander to anyone’s former routine, likes or preferences. The Government is trying to save lives which is why everyone is distressed to some degree. He’s gone home to live with a harridan who clearly thinks the sun shines out of him and who has no concern at all for the Mother of her Grandchildren or the difficulties that her attitude will create - esp., when the children are older! She should not be spoken to. He should not be spoken to. There is no Order in place, so Mum should be prepared to resolve that as soon as life returns to normal. In the meantime, to save rows, stress and acrimony, she should write to the children’s Father, calmly, pointing out that the children will not be visiting anyone at all until the lockdown is over and that although she is concerned that the children’s rights of access must be curtailed for the moment, that she is determined (like the rest of the country) not to fall foul of the Government’s ruling, nor risk being fined for flouting what is now mandatory for all. In the meantime, she can maybe suggest Skyping or FaceTiming a few times over each weekend and if he accepts that, she’ll be more than happy to set it up and won’t doubt that the kids will be thrilled to do that! In the absence of that, she’s not prepared to get involved in arguments or lengthy correspondence, so he will need to contact a Solicitor and take advice as to obtaining an Order with regard to access.
Think of the rules now.....and the reasons why we can be out in public. Think of social distancing. Going to Solicitors offices for conversations/advice and hoping to start legal proceedings at the moment? I don’t think so. Just be calm, polite, firm, refuse to argue, sound reasonable and sensible and certainly don’t write anything you won’t be happy to see in Court documents when you are eventually able to apply for a formal Order which will document what has been agreed. Until then keep a copy of anything you write and don’t get into any conversation. Good luck !
