Childs Legal Rights?

Kimberley

If a child does not want to see their father can a court force them to? I read on the web that they can and that if the parent with care didn't turn up with the child to any contact orders then they would be held in contempt

My friends 14 year old child doesn't want any more contact after only 8 visits to see his father.

What are the childs legal rights?

poe.tuesday

have a look here and give them a call if you need more info

http://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/

sarymclary

Hi,
from my little experience of these things, my children were all asked if they wanted to see their father.

A court will always try to be fair to both parents, and tries to ensure both have a chance to have a relationship with their child(ren).

In this case, a court welfare officer will speak to your child, who is now well over the age where the court considers that they are capable of making their own decisions. I am sure they will be interested to know the reasons why your child doesn't want contact, and try to leave an opportunity for contact to be reinstated in the future if possible.

I imagine a court will always be wary that the parent with residence is attempting to influence the child, due to the breakdown of the original relationship, you get the idea. Unfortunately this does go on, and a 'friend' of mine even got her children to say their dad had abused them, so that he couldn't keep contact. It cost him £15k, but he did get it disproven in court, and contact was reinstated, initially in contact centres. Is there any chance this lad is carrying over baggage vicariously from the mother's relationship into his own?

Anyway, if the father is still wanting to maintain contact, the court has a duty to attempt to find a middle ground for this to be possible, but your friend should be aware that court costs are extremely expensive, and trying to use a form of mediation might be a better course of action.

After 8 visits, the child will not have had much of a chance to get to know his father properly, and at 14 kids think they know everthing. As a mother of 4 boys, I'd say that if there isn't a fundamental problem with this man (like murderer, sex offender or downright thug) then having a male influence in his life is important. My children lost their dad at too young an age, and losing him isn't something I can replace for them.

The Children's Act will protect the son, but the parents have rights too. If there is an issue with contact your friend needs to seek legal advice before refusing contact, so that she is playing by the rules and not in contempt of any court order already in place.

hobo28

Kimberley wrote: »

If a child does not want to see their father can a court force them to? I read on the web that they can and that if the parent with care didn't turn up with the child to any contact orders then they would be held in contempt

My friends 14 year old child doesn't want any more contact after only 8 visits to see his father.

What are the childs legal rights?

At 14, the court will take his wishes into account. If he doesn't want to see his father, I very much doubt a court will make him. No matter the reason.

Kimberley

hobo28 wrote: »

At 14, the court will take his wishes into account. If he doesn't want to see his father, I very much doubt a court will make him. No matter the reason.

The reason being is that because his mother wouldn't let the boy meet his fathers mother and brother without her being at the meeting, the father called her a s**g and !!!!! and told her that him, his bro and mum all hated her. The boy heard him say this to her and he doesn't want to see him after he's heard all that.

The boy is very nervous when on these meetings and his mum has always gone with him except for a few times when the father has taken the boy to McDonalds after school. The boy hardly talks to the father when he sees him as it is. It was the boys choice for his mum to me there and the boy wouldn't have wanted to meet his new family on his own.

The boy has said that he's met him which is what he wanted and now the curiosity has been satisfied he no longer likes what he sees.