Ugh...
A verblurge, if you will.

My daughter's moved house fifteen times in her twelve years, mainly due to her mother's ineptitude or drunken outbursts, her inability to pay bills or maintain relationships with transient men.

She's lived variously with her mother, her (ex-) step-father, grandparents and half-way houses. She's had four father figures in the past eighteen months, not including me.

I've known things haven't been perfect for daughter and her little brother and sister, in their current situation, for a few weeks, but it all blew up on Sunday and now daughter's staying with a school friend while her (step-) brother and sister stay with their dad.

Police and Social Services have been called as things were pretty heated between mother and her ex... shit, this is getting boring and complicated.

Basically, I've had enough of daughter being shipped from pillar to post and not being settled. She's about to end her first year of secondary school, and she needs some stability to see her through her exams.

So, I'm on the edge of telling Social Services that I want to take daughter into my care. I'm fucking scared and excited at the same time, and I'm not even sure that's what daughter wants. My living situation isn't ideal but it's not impossible...

I just want daughter to have a semblance of normal life.

I don't know why I'm telling you this, internet, but your thoughts would be appreciated.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 15 Apr 2009, 9:41, Reply)