In the matter of V (Child Custody)

Advocate M. J. Haines for the children, C and B, acting through their guardian Monash Kessler.

On 15 th June 2012, the Court made certain findings of fact following a four day hearing and indicated that it would set out its reasons in a written judgment which we now do.

The mother met the father in 1997 and they have three children, namely A (now aged 14) and twins, B and C, who are now aged 11. The mother has two older children by a previous partner, namely F, who is now aged 26 and G, who is now aged 25. The mother, who has a history of serious alcohol abuse, has a full-scale IQ of 64, which places her within the "extremely low" range. Dr Ruth Emsley, a registered chartered forensic psychologist, in her report of 11 th November 2010, could not rule out a diagnosis of learning disability.

The father has a history of substance abuse. He was addicted to dihydrocodeine for some seven or eight years undergoing detoxification in 2008 and again in 2009. Dr Emsley, in her report of 11 th November 2010, regards drug misuse as a risk factor in his case. He has also been addicted to gambling.

The Children's Service has been involved with the mother and her family since 1987, some ten years before she met the father, as there were concerns about her ability to cope with F and G, who were received into care on some four occasions.