[US] Son Refusing Visitation
Long story as short as I can. I am looking for advice based on people who have been in similar situations but also to vent a tad ... it has been a long road and for reasons I am not being open to talking about much of what is going on with those around me.
I have two sons who, last September, disclosed that they were being sexual abused by their step-father. For my older son (15) it happened sever years earlier over a summer when he was 10 years old. For my youngest (11) it has been going on for 5+ years, we have no been able to nail down a timeframe when it started. Since that date, children services have placed the children in my care. This was a voluntary arrangement and nothing has been officially put through the courts at this time. The reasoning behind having them stay with me was they deemed mother "non-protective" because they claim she did not believe the children and they were concerned about interactions with the step-father.
Since the disclosure, step-father has been arrested, and is now out on bond. Mother has divorced him in middle of December and bought her own home. Children services has left restriction in place and have ordered that parenting time with mother be supervised. She has exercised that right one time, in which the youngest participated, back in December.
I have filed for full custody and she filed paperwork in court to hold me in contempt (because there is no official court order) and also have children services removed from the case. Mother claimed that children services has been vindictive. Child services created a case plan in January that stated their recommendation going forward should be supervised visitation, mother to attend parenting classes, mother to take mental health examination, and mother to take a drug and alcohol test.
The first pre-trial the Domestic Relations court ordered all the services that Children Services recommended as well as supervised visits at a facility in town for at least one hour per week, per child. This is where things get difficult. My youngest is excited to see his mother but the oldest is flat our refusing the visit. He claims that there have been years of emotional abuse on top of the sexual abuse in that house and he wants nothing to do with mother. His therapist is also against any reunification at this time as well with the oldest.
Today he talks to the GAL for his interview, I spoke to her last week. Is there any chance that the GAL (based on conversation today) and therapist could help him with the legally getting out of the visit or am I really going to be forced to get him there against his wishes? This is a very stressful situation all around but I am walking the fine line of being on the right side legally but also doing what I think is healthy for my children.