cresta57

No they are still in contact, when we spoke to the eldest she was at her "other nans" It appears as though they don't know that it was her that told us about the drugs and the fraud etc. It works for us to know that they go to their other grandparents and are safe, also that if anything bad happens they have someone close down there to protect them.
Sure it irks but looking at the bigger picture better to have someone down there than nobody.

cresta57

Well it's been a big weekend on the news front:
Firstly we found out where they were living when a furniture rental company rang us to enquire about their unpaid rental agreement. We then found out that they haven't paid house rent since the initial week they moved in so are in the process of being evicted again. Apparently facs tracked them through centerpay and sent investigators around to do a welfare check upon the girls. Good news that they are still on their case, bad that they will have to track them down again.
Secondly his mum rang to inform us that they are about to do a runner from Tenterfield down to Gosford. Because she's blacklisted our daughter has had to inform centerlink that the eldest granddaughter is living with her father. Not quite true but by [pretending to be] splitting up the children they get extra centerlink pay. The father has never been on a lease agreement as prior to getting caught recently they had always maintained that he lived at a separate address again [fraudulently] entitling them to extra payments. By placing the eldest on his centerpay he now qualifies for emergency housing when they arrive in Gosford.
Thirdly our eldest gd is quite a talented distance runner, last week she came second in a big interschool comp in the 800m and in a cross country run. She now qualifies for the Northern NSW finals and her other grandma begged her son to let her stay on in Tenterfield until the end of the school year to enable her to attend the races. He's agreed so far that she can stay.
That presents a problem as it means they must commit fraud again to qualify for emergency housing. We could make a call to Centerlink but then the eldest wouldn't be safe with her other grandparents.
Lastly they intend to attempt to get a temporary rego on an old banger they own that has been unregistered for several months so they can drive down there. They don't have plates on any vehicles as both of them have been stopped by NSW police and the unregistered vehicles plates seized [they own 3 unregistered vehicles in various states of decay]. To be able to get a temporary permit to move they intend to "borrow" plates from a donor car.
This raises another dilemma as if we make a call to NSW police and they don't go then the eldest is back in their clutches if we don't call their death trap old banger might put our other gd at risk.
We've only found out the information from his mum and from another contact down there that rings us to keep us informed of anything important.

Rosemary

Wow, so much news in one go, you must be spinning with all of it. Well done to your granddaughter and good luck to her for the future. It is very much a case of damned if you do something about all of the illegalities and damned if you do not. Such difficult decisions to be made, such a delicate balance, good reasons either way.

What a horrible position to be in once again.

Rosemary

scot47

Are these people violent ? If so, is it wise to post such detailed information on a publicly accessible site ?

cresta57

No not violent just drug addled half wits & to be honest I hope she [our daughter] does read the thread. Him, I doubt he can even read, he's 42 and not passed a driving test yet.

quoll

Oh my heavens! It goes from bad to worse doesn't it?! Sadly Australia doesn't do kids at risk very well and when they state hop it's like things just have to start from scratch. I do hope things work out well for the kids, they deserve so much better than this!

scrubbedexpat094

Well good news that you've had an update and that your eldest grand-daughter is doing well. I had exactly the same thoughts as Rosemary, damned if you do and damned if you don't.

I'm furious that the authorities don't seem able to resolve this situation in the best interests of the children . Not understanding how the Australian system works I just don't know what to say that would be helpful. I was fairly well up on the UK system with having a mother as a social worker and myself being a midwife. But that doesn't help you at all.

Gordon Barlow

I think you're probably right about that. It can hardly hurt, at this stage. Fingers crossed for you.

cresta57

At last I can update with some positive news:
We've just got back from spending the weekend with our eldest GD. She's living with her other grandparents, we've spoken to her a few times since that strained initial call and she's opened up about everything. Child protection services have visited on a number of occasions and never been allowed in the house. The father just screams "F@#$ Off" at them and slams the door. That explains why the police went with them early on in the case.
She's suffered terribly and is in a very bad place mentally at the moment. She has flourished in the three/four weeks since she's been with her grandparents and has put 5 kilos on. She, Deb & myself wept as she described being so hungry her belly ached. Apparently since the eviction from the housing commision house the week after Easter there's been very little food for any of them, 2 min noodles or dry bread & devon. Previously the cupboards were always reasonably stocked with the basics.
As we suspected they are on a rapid downward spiral and his entire centerlink pay was being collected by his drug dealers enforcers the moment he received it [the big men come for dads money on a Thursday] He's been stealing anything he can to fund his and possibly her habit. He's broke into his uncle's property as well as his mother's and stolen anything he can sell as well as his mum's housekeeping that she kept in the usual spot.
Police are aware but not officially [I think until there's something in writing re the girls safety].
They've now arrived down in Gosford and are supposed to be living on the sea front in a caravan park. The youngest g/daughter phoned her sister on Saturday morning gloating that mum had let her go to a disco and dad had stolen a pair of high heels for her to wear, she said they were eating bacon and eggs and it was all great fun. Poor kid is brainwashed into thinking all that is normal.
Friday 12th they made a fraudulent claim with Centerlink and it appears as though there is now quite a comprehensive file on the girls. They were asked where their eldest daughter was and they lied and said she was fishing with her pop. An hour after they made the claim his mother received a phone call from child protection services and they enquired as to where the eldest GD was. "In school" she said "I'm with her as it's a grandparents assembly today" Our contact at the school also received a phone call from the same dept. They found it strange that she could be in school in Tenterfield yet applying for crisis cash in Gosford 7 hrs South. It appears as though Child Protection are getting all their ducks in a row.Centerlink and facs are definitely on the same page.
Eldest GD is booked in to see a guidance counselor and a lady from child protection on Wednesday and has stated that she will never return to her parents. She's stated to child protection that she wishes to live with either set of grandparents, we're happy with that as she's safe at either home. Down there she stays in the same school with her mates and in familiar surroundings. She had a poddy lamb to bottle feed and 120 acres to roam around in with her pop. She's helping feed pigs, chooks, ducks and has an old Kelpie that follows her around like a shadow.

Jerseygirl

Thank you for the update. It does sound promising...but why oh why don't the police and child services get off their arse and get the other child out of the awful situation she is living in? Poor kids...I hope they are able to turn their lives around...and put the past behind them best they can.

BEVS

Finally. Some good news Sean.

Really hope those ducks are lining up for some solid action a.s.a.p. .

Dorothy

Thank you for the update. My heart breaks for those girls and for you and Deb. I sincerely hope that your other granddaughter gets the help she needs soon.

moneypenny20

Sounds optimistic. I should think bacon and eggs is the ultimate if you've been living off ramen and devon

Siouxie

That's great news - so glad that your older G/D is safe and happier! Let's hope that your youngest G/D gets to be placed with either you or her other grandparents very soon!

quoll

At last! Good to hear the wheels of the bureaucratic machine are grinding inexorably in the right direction at least but the girls really have done it tough! So glad that you have been able to talk to your DGD in person at last so she knows you aren't the ogres she's been brainwashed to believe. With luck your other GD should be free of this crap soon too!