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| Peter’s Story
My ex wife and I met in 1991, I worked as a care officer in a homeless hostel she was a resident there after a year we got married and took on her two children who where then 3 and 4 years old, they were in Social Work Care the eldest had been abused by an ex boyfriend of hers. We lived together until 1998 when we separated and my wife went into a hostel with my stepsons and my own son born (24/08/1992). We kept in contact and were still friends and I saw my son every weekend when he came to stay with me and there was no problems in access or anything. My wife and family were given a house in a bad area to live and we continued to see each other then she got involved with this guy who was a drug addict and dealer, and I was no longer comfortable to visit however contact with my son continued at weekends, one weekend in 2000, I went as planned to collect my son to be told by the boyfriend that my son and his mother were at the hospital, worried I went down and asked for them at the casualty reception to find that he was being examined for sexual abuse which I had apparently done during our last time together. I was not allowed to see either my son or my wife. I heard nothing for a few days then had a visit from two social workers to inform me of the allegation and that it would be handled by the Child Protection Unit which is a joint agency body operated by the local council, police, and health service. I left it for several weeks and had not heard from anyone, I contacted the CPU to see if they could enlighten me on the present situation. I made an appointment to meet the police officer who was dealing with the case and I gave a voluntary statement which was recorded in the presence of two police officers, I was not charged and allowed to leave the station at no time was I arrested I voluntarily went to the Police. Some weeks later my wife contacted me to see why I was not collecting my son at the weekends and with trepidation and fear of other allegations I only took him out for short trips to public places and at no time did he again stay with me. I was not informed of any other action and checked with the CPU who informed me that they had passed the case to the Procurator Fiscal who would action it. After a further few months I contacted the Procurator Fiscal to be informed the case had been classed as no further action due to insufficient evidence. When I informed my wife of this she informed me that as far as the Social Work Department was concerned I would be charged and a case would be taken against me, I contacted my sons Social Worker who was really excellent in helping me at all times through the issue, she informed me that the case had been made n.f.a. By the Procurator Fiscal and the social work department were not taking any further action. By this time I had met a new partner who also had a young child and my son also used to visited her place for weekends and we lived as a family and done things together, everything was fine until one day my new partner got a visit from a Social Worker to inform her of the allegation which I had already told her about. My new Partner is younger than me and they threatened to take her child into care if she continued her relationship with me. A case conference was called for my partners daughter who was 2and a half years old and the outcome was that she be put on the at risk register and that they would support my partner in ending our relationship. My partner supported me although like most mothers would had a bit of doubt and we seen each other but not with the child as I feared them taking action and my partner losing her daughter to social work care. After three months her daughter was taken off the at risk register although they knew we still seen each other. I got a Solicitor involved and still my name has not been cleared. I have requested supervised access to my son happening monthly as I do not trust him now although I think his mother is the one behind it all. Or her drug addict boyfriend. At times I suffer really badly as I cannot do the work I enjoy because of the Allegation I cannot really have time with my son except if a supervisor from social work is available. I am on antidepressants and attend a psychologist and have now managed to find temporary work. However I don’t feel that there is any way to get my life back to normal. Luckily my Partner supports me and we live, as a family although we have our own places and I hope that one-day life will resume FAAS is an important organisation that needs people like me to support them look at the other stories get involved.
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