permission to remove
 

Hi everyone

I have just got back from my FIRST! court hearing for permission to remove (ex hubbie hasn't had anything to do with kids for 10 years! we don't know where he lives now - he has been abroad for years - in fact the last we heard he had moved to Oz; he owes nearly 20K in maintenance! but I still need his "permission" to remove). Sickening as that is, I applied and thought after reading some of the threads on here, that if I had proof that I had tried last known address etc, that would be enough.

It seems not - I have to allow a further five weeks to try and contact him AGAIN (even though the legal aid board have not been able to get him for unpaid legal fees) - and then give him another 4 weeks to reply - which, ok, fair enough I can accept that the court needs to be sure that everything is being done to contact him and that I am not lying about it!

But what really bugs me is that I can't have a final hearing until the court welfare office puts a report in, which the earliest possible date is the end of January 2004!!!! So if I can't get hold of the ****hole, that's one thing, but then having to get permission from some welfare officer seems ludicrous.

What I am trying to find out (albeit with steam slowly emitting from my head!!!) is did others who went to court coz ex partner couldn't be traced, have to have a welfare officer interview kids?

The most annoying thing about it all is the time wasted having to wait for this report.

Sorry Gini... I managed to trace my sons father and he wrote to the court giving permission to remove... I appreciate it is a total pain, but you can see where they are coming from. The Welfare Officer would totally hack me off too as it seems to be getting personal, but again you know with kids, all aspects have to be covered.

I wish you all the best on this, and as you probably already know, it will turn out OK in the end :)

Yvonne :D