I wasn't sure at first whether to share this story as I'm on the outside looking in from a distance. What I know of it has come mostly from other family members. However, even from the outside it's easy to see the results and patterns of the way situations were handled. I have changed names for the privacy of the family.

![child-1439468_640.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQobx8meXNEMkjgrcTMeUCSnPEcfKujy14dLv6whjCSwh/child-1439468_640.jpg)
[Source](https://pixabay.com/en/child-education-fear-terror-1439468/)

Alice and Larry were a quiet couple with two sweet daughters, Amy and Lucy. It was obvious that Alice loved being a mum and doted on her girls. Just for the record, I can honestly say that she is a kind, gentle natured woman. There was never any doubt that this was a happy family and the daughters were well loved.

Larry had always been sickly and was often in hospital for periods of time with meningitis. He also had limited movement in his neck. Alice's uncle and aunt who lived nearby would help out the family when they could as did Alice's mother occasionally.

It was a shock to the family when one day Alice left Larry in a hurry, leaving the girls behind. She cited that it was because he was violent when he'd been drinking. It was hard to believe, although admittedly Larry was known for being a bit of a drinker, so the extended family pretty much took Larry's side. Mum did come back for her daughters, but a custody battle ensued and she lost.

While Larry had the girls, aunt and uncle helped him out, but aunt was discovering that maybe he wasn't as innocent as first believed. There were times when she would find the girls left outside of a pub while dad was inside getting drunk and she would end up taking them home with her until he'd sobered up.

Meanwhile Alice continued to try and get custody of her girls and did get to be able to have them sometimes. However, it emerged that her new partner was a convicted paedophile. She claimed his innocence, but when she was told she risked losing her new baby as well as her daughters she had no choice but to end the relationship. 

Once on her own, she again tried to get custody of her daughters, especially as Larry was back in hospital. Sadly, this time it was apparent that he was not going to recover and the girls were to lose their father. Upon his death, rather than their mother gaining custody the state decided to put them into foster care, despite the wishes of the girls to stay with their mother. The only light left for mum was that she could at least see them occasionally, but it was ruled that they had to stay in foster care until their 16th birthdays; which, by this point, wasn't too far away for Amy, but a bit longer for Lucy.

Eventually the girls were old enough to be allowed to make their own decisions and spend time with their mother again, but sadly this is not where this story ends...

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*This story is being shared in support of @familyprotection to make public how child protection services across the world are destroying families. If you have experienced this yourself and feel up to sharing your story please share it. Things need to change and the first step is letting people know why and not sweeping it under the carpet.*

*The SBD from this post will go to support @familyprotection in their cause.*