What would happen to my niece

[jedimistress]

Hate to sound morbid but my sister is an alcoholic and drug user. She has had an overdose which she thinks I am unaware of, where she nearly died. She has a daughter and son. The son has a father, hger ex husband, but noone knows who her father is.

I'm wondering what would happen to her daughter if she passed away. Her daughter is 3 years old and as her aunty I would gladly take her on and raise her. But would there be anything which would prevent this? Who decides what happens to children in situations like this?

If she has written that she wants a specific person to care for my niece in event of her death and it turns out to be one of her alcoholic friends with whom she seems to have more loyalty towards than her own family, could it be contested? Many thanks in advance.

[jodie73]

There are laws out there to protect children from this. You should maybe see about getting the kids out before anything happens cos it can't be an ideal environment for them as it is. I know you may not want to involve them but social services are there to protect these kids.

[jedimistress]

The social services are aware. They just sent out a health visitor a couple of times. At an arranged toime so of course the house was clean, it wasn't full of addicts and she was sober.

I don't want to say to much to strangers but would ideally like to know what would happen in the event of her death if anyone knows the law with regards to this.

[jodie73]

Social services normally send them to family as far as i'm aware, it's different if there isn't any other family to send them to. Let social services know your concerns and tell them you want the child if anything happens to your sister. I really feel for you cos it's not an easy thing to sit back and watch.

[jedimistress]

Thanks Jodie.

[DC_FC]

Haqve you tried to help your sister to oversome the alcohol and drug use,

[jedimistress]

No she can only do that herself. I did not cause it, I cannot control it and I cannot cure it.