I split with my partner August 2008 because he was violent to me, and whilst i was holding my 3 month old Daughter too. I went straight to a solicitor and sought (and got) a non-molestation order, an occupation order and a prohibited steps order. My Daughter’s father did not see her for further month as i was told to avoid any contact with him until contact had been agreed in court. During this time, he made a point of breaking the non-molestation order, as did his mother and sister.
He began seeing her at a contact centre for an hour a week September 2008, the stand-in Judge then decided (along with a jumped up social worker who’s never dealt with kids before) that he should have her for 4 hours at a time weekly, unsupervised, after only 6 weeks (even though he had threatened to take her off me previously). The social worker CHOSE to disregard the fact that he had messed up every contact session at the contact centre, and his mother had phoned social services and made an allegation which was later proved to be just that! Again, on these contact visits, he continued to mess up, not getting the right food or the right size nappies (even though i had already told him through solicitors).
Back in court again, December 2008 it was agreed that her father then got contact twice weekly for a whole day at a time. My daughter’s behaviour started to change and she became more unsettled. I raised yet more concerns in court, including the fact that he made a deliberate effort to undermine me, chose to feed my daughter baby food although i had already weaned her and refused to stick to her routine. Yet again, i was ignored, the social worker stood her ground and insisted that, with all these concerns, he should still have my ONE YEAR OLD daughter for a whole weekend a time, even though she had never been away from me for one night before, and with all my concerns.
The court ruled that he have her one night a week (for 6 contact weeks) and then onto one night a week for 3 weeks of the month and a whole weekend on the 4th week.
Personally, i find this ridiculous anyway, as she is only one year old! The concerns have got worse, he is now making all kinds of ridiculous comments. He tried telling me that i should not dry her hair although she has extremely long hair for her age and that would mean she went to bed with wet hair. He told me that the shoes i had measured for her at Clarks were too small (the week i got them).

Now, to explain my concerns:
Her father is 23 years of age; still living with his parents; still refusing to get a job; is not training towards any job; has found himself another girlfriend who previously took drugs, now has her own child and is currently in a womens refuge; he does not pay ANY child maintenance and never has; he insists on having my daughter overnight and yet leaves her with his mother so he can go out. He has already admitted to Social Services that he was depressed and attempted to kill himself on more than one occasion, as well as having cut marks up and down his arms.

Me: I am 17 years of age, live on my own in a private rented property, have an 18 year old boyfriend who is currently training as a plasterer. I have previously studied accountancy at college but had to drop out just before my exam because of being pregnant. I am now studying Law from home as well as bringing up my daughter. I have my full family’s support as well as my boyfriend’s family. And he contributes to my daughter’s upbringing more than her father.

Could anybody please tell me if they think i’m being unreasonable by being worried and wondering if the social worker ACTUALLY did her job properly?