When considering issues such as child custody and visitation, family courts in Clarksville strive to keep the best interests of the children involved in mind. In certain cases, those interests may be best protected by refusing visitation to parties who may have already demonstrated themselves as posing a threat to the children involved. If such indications have been made, then those who care for the children may hope that measures are taken to ensure the kids’ safety (especially if the potentially dangerous parties in question are granted access to them). A failure to provide such protection may certainly prompt accusations of negligence on the part of those tasked with monitoring visitation.
That’s the claim being made by the grandparents (now adoptive parents) of two children in New Hampshire. In a lawsuit filed against the state’s Department for Children, Youth and Families (as well as one of its non-profit partners), they allege that a failure to give credence to their concerns concerning potential physical and sexual abuse being perpetrated against the children by their biological parents during unsupervised visits allowed the abuse to continue. They also allege that the state agency failed to follow up on police records given to them detailing similar actions that the parents had engaged in with other children. The state, for its part, claims that agency employees cannot be held responsible for the actions of third parties.
Any decision or action or regarding visitation should, as family courts say, be made with the best interests of the children involved in mind. Those who feel that others (be they parents granted visitation or those in a position to supervise it) did not respect those interests may feel prompted to initiate action against them. If so, they may be best served by securing the assistance of an attorney.
Source: New Hampshire Union Leader “State seeks to have suit against DCYF in child abuse case dismissed” Solomon, Dave, Dec. 14, 2016