Stephanie has a step daughter who lives with her family. She married the girl’s father, and has a great relationship with 10 year old Jessica.

The young girl goes to stay at her mother's apartment on the weekend, however Stephanie is concerned that the girl's natural mother is not providing her daughter with the care that she needs.

Stephanie visited the birth mother's apartment when she was dropping off her step daughter - and was appalled to find evidence of illegal party drugs being consumed at the apartment, and a gay couple living in another room of the small flat.

Jessica says she loves her birth mother, and does want to see her, but doesn’t want to stay with her.

She is legally meant to be living with her mother, but her mother said it was fine for her to live with her father most of the time, so that’s what has been happening.

But now, Stephanie doesn’t want her step daughter staying with her natural mother at all.

But she is torn, because she does want her step daughter to maintain a relationship with her birth mother.

In this situation, who makes the choices about the girl’s future? Stephanie? The girl’s father? The girl’s natural mother? Or the daughter?

• If drugs are being consumed at the apartment, should the girl being staying there at all?
• What is the role of the birth father? Should he step in?
• Should the opinion of Jessica count? Or is it up to the parents to decide her future?
• What is the role of the step mother in a situation like this?