While Rob was in hospital, Henry was staying with his grandparents Pat and Tony. Upon Rob's return to Ambridge, his mother, Ursula, collected Henry from Bridge Farm.
Pat was led to believe that Henry was coming back that evening. When he wasn't returned Pat rang Ursula:
URSULA: Henry’s not coming back to you. He's staying here with us.
PAT: (PAUSE) Sorry - what did you say?
URSULA: Now his father’s back home, there’s no need for you to have him any more – is there?
PAT: Yes! Yes of course there is! He’s staying here, we’re his grandparents, we said we’d look after him.
URSULA: (INTERRUPTS) I’m sorry - I’m sorry but I’m not going to argue with you about this. Henry belongs at home with his father, and that’s where he’s staying. Goodbye!
It's hard to deny that Ursula removed Henry from Pat and Tony's care in a rather underhand way. However, despite being Henry's blood relations, legally they have no parental rights for him. To challenge any of Rob's decisions regarding Henry they need to make a court application.
'Equal to Helen'
Rob, Helen and Henry started living together at Blossom Hill Cottage in February 2014. In October 2015, Rob - by this point Helen's husband - signed a parental responsibility agreement.
ROB: Well today we went to the court in Felpersham. You know – where all the judges live. And do you know what we did?
HELEN: A lady called ‘the clerk’ had to witness –
ROB: (CUTTING IN) We asked them if I could be your daddy. And guess what they said...
HENRY: Yes!
ROB: Got it in one!
This makes Rob's rights, duties and obligations in the upbringing of Henry equal to those of Helen. While in prison, Helen cannot exercise her parental rights for Henry.
