THANKYOU FOR YOUR RESPONSES!! (Children being given alcohol and being neglected post)

Hi Ladies,
I am the IM that wrote in with the 'children being given alcohol and being neglected' issue.
I just wanted to thank you for your responses (good and not-so-good) and thank you all for taking the time to read my post and take the time to respond to me (also request that original post please be removed).

I did not say she 'starves' them, I just dont believe it is right for them to have not had tea and be in bed by 10.30, they need a routine, especially on school nights.

I am aware that I alone can't legally retain my stepson, it has to be done by his father. We have told the kids that they can tell their teacher and workers when they are given alcohol and left home alone etc. Partner also be contacting the school again today and requesting that they inform him when the children are not at school and voicing our concerns to them. We had contacted them last year and nothing has happened so it seems we will need to keep on them to make sure they keep an eye out and report anything that is not right.

We have discussed this issue over and over and dont get me wrong we DO want to go for full custody and we WILL be. The only part of this that we are 'seriously considering' is that we want to have everything in line so when she is investigated the young child that we do not have any legal claim to does not end up in foster care, yes I know that my stepson is the priority, however if they deem her unfit and remove all children from her care there is no one for the youngest to go to. I would never forgive myself if he is taken from his brothers and put with strangers. We are wanting as less stress to the kids as possible, and dont want to make the situation worse for the remaining children if we do just keep my stepson after a visit. We are in the process of getting a family lawyer and will be going for full custody, will also be getting advice on how to keep them all together (other father is in the same town as us so they wont be separated from their brother).

This post is only to try and clear up some of the responses from the lovely ladies to my original post and to thank you all so much for your support and outsiders views on the situation. Being so close to the issue it was good to read the comments from people not involved as it gave me a bit of a clearer perspective and helped me work out exactly how we are going to go about this.