I have been asked to post this story including name’s, as there is no order against this couple. They left for freedom and justice before the local authority intervened, or so they thought! The Couple are now being pursued in Spain after documents by the Police and Court were produced, post departure. Here is the family’s story….
Our first contact with social services was on friday 4th December 2009. They hand delivered a letter to our home while we were out. When we returned we read the letter, which said they had received a referral about our children and we had to contact them as soon as possible. With in an hour 2 social workers and 2 child protection officers were banging on our door demanding to be let in so they could check the children. We told them no as we had only just received their letter, they hadn’t given us chance to call them. They could see the children through the window, who were happily playing.They said the referral had been made because we home educate. After a while of going back and forth they left.
We have since been told that had we let them in they would have taken the children, it’s a common trick for them to show up un announced on Fridays with protection officers to remove the children.
The next letter arrived on 12th December, saying how we would not allow access to the children and if we didn’t comply they would start child protection procedures and seek legal advice about our children. The letter said she would call again on 21st December to do the assessment. We waited in on 21st to see them , with a video camera , but they did not show up. We assumed they had come to their senses and thought that was the end of it. We enjoyed christmas as a family. In early January another letter arrived, stating they were unable to attend the previous appointment they had made due to staff shortages and would like to visit 21st January, which was then switched to the 28th January. During this time we had contacted other families who have had dealings with the social services, and sought advice from Ian Josephs. To which they all advised, if we were able to, leave the UK before they started getting court orders on us.We left the UK on 28th January by ferry. Unfortunately a family member who knew where we were going warned the social we were leaving that day, the social worker, Sarah O’Conner, went to our home in the afternoon, after seeing we were not in she called our landlord to get permission from him to access our home. She and the police kicked our door in, saw that we were gone and noticed we had been burning rubbish in the garden. To which they thought we had murdered our children and burnt their remains in the garden!!
This allowed them to put a missing persons report out on us so they could use the European police to find us. We left our pets at the house, my mother was going there to get them that day, but was refused access to our home.
The police and social left our dogs locked in the house for 24 hours before calling the RSPCA to remove them (who commented they were very well cared for) even though my mother told them she was having the pets.The police then sent in forensics to search our home, they were there for over a week.The police also visited all our relatives asking if they thought we would hurt our children, everyone told them no we were good parents.
Upon reaching our destination we had learned that they had been in our home and took our pets, which distressed my daughter very much. They told my mother they had an EPO on the children (which we have never seen or been presented with) and that we must return. We kept going as we knew if we returned they would take the children. We arrived where we planned to stay, within a few days(2nd february) the local police came , asking to see the children as they had been informed by the UK there was a problem.They saw the children were fine told us they had no problems and left.
We heard nothing else until 15th March when a court order arrived from the UK , that is dated 5th february.The court order says we must return the children to the UK so they can be placed in foster care, that our son requires medication and further surgery. The letter that came with it is stating we are neglecting our son due to his health problems, not mentioning the home eduction at all now. The court order is wrong about his condition and he is not on any medication as the court order states, and does not require further surgery for a few years.
We have had the national police visit us this week asking us to go to the police station to answer some questions and have a medical done on the children. We did go, the children were seen by a Dr who said they are in good health. The police have had a letter from the social in the UK stating our house was messy, it would be considering they left our dogs locked in for 24 hours! Then the fact they had police and forensics there for over a week!! They were asking about the welfare of the children, they said they have no problems and are waiting to see what the UK social want to do.
This all started because of a referral from the home education officer Claire Bishton, who works for Wolverhampton Council, because we wouldn’t allow her to do a home visit. The social worker involved, Sarah O’Connor who has lied to the courts and police in order to steal our children. The judge that allowed them to get a court order on us HHJ Hughes at the WOLVERHAMPTON DISTRICT REGISTRY, without us being there to defend ourselves or any proper evidence being shown. We would also like to mention Tracey Christine who works for the chief legal officer for Wolverhampton city council, for her disgraceful letter which came with the court order.
All of these people have actively seeked to destroy our family and steal our children without a shred off evidence, based on the fact we home educate. The reasons for their involvement keeps changing from home education, to your sons health , to your house is messy!! We have always done what is in the best interests of our son where his health is concerned, as his medical records will show. We are not breaking any laws by home educating or declining home visits, we have the letters from Claire Bishton, to prove she was satisfied with the eduction being provided.