Visitation and adequate child care

[fhtim]

Father: State of residence - Ohio
Custody - full physical and legal
Mother: State of Residence - Alabama
State of Divorce - Alabama

The mother has visitation with our 3 minor children. Because it is so far away, extended visitation was arranged.

The mother has not made any arrangements to provide the children adequate sleeping arrangements...they sleep on blankets on a carpeted concrete floor, nor has she prepared finacially for the meals that the children will require.

In their first visit during spring break, these problems became apparent. Summer vacation is coming up and she will have them for 9 1/2 weeks. I have brought it to her attention via a written letter, but nothing has been done.

I have no desire to interferre with visitation, however it is not acceptable to me that they will have to live this way for so long of a period of time. What rights do I have to ensure that they are adequately provided for? What would be a possible solution to this?

Tim

 

[Ambr]

as for the living conditions. (this was MO, don't know if your situation would be the same. you might call DFS and check with a caseworker.)

i spoke with a DFS worker on this one. my ex was living in the basement of his parents home when we first divorced. they had not additional bedrooms and the children were sleeping on a pallet in the floor. the DFS worker stated that as long as the children had an area that was clean and considered theirs that they did not have to have an individual bedroom. sarcastically stating that if he wanted to pull out drawers and let them sleep in those that he could. as long as they did not share a drawer. one pallet in the floor is sharing. she spoke with him and told him that the kids needed their own pallet. poof! two pallets in the floor. nothing else that could be done on that one.

the food in the home. a DFS worker would be your best bet on this one too. it is scarey to know that the kids are not provided basic necessities when they are with the NCP. but this is something that you will not get the NCP to admit to. to be honest, a hot line call would be your best bet. it can be done anonymously and they will investigate the report. if it is found to be that way, they are your best proof for court.