A young mother contacted me concerned that Glasgow Council’s acceptance of the Charter for Grandchildren would mean that her child’s grandparents could tell her what to do with her children. Please be assured this is not the case. Acceptance of the charter for Grandchildren does not in any way overrule the rights of the parents.
This acceptance of The Charter for Grandchildren will mean professionals who work in the welfare of children must look more closely or explain why not at the role grandparents can play in children’s lives, rather than ignore them because involving them may be too much bother. It is children we are talking about not commodities and they deserve the best.
Our stance as Grandparents Apart UK is strictly the ‘Best Interests of the Child’ and nothing else. With this in mind we favour equal parenting with grandparents next in line when parents are unavailable to care for any child, to prevent the child going into care or being looked after by strangers. Grandparents in the main have reared a family and don’t particularly want to start raising a family again, but want to end the unnecessary division of families by professionals.
The mother was concerned her son would be forced to be with his grandparents more often against his wishes. This is not the aim of the Charter. The answer here could be Mediation.
Mediation can help all involved reach their own agreement about what is best for your child and make reasonable arrangements. An agreement can always be made if everyone puts their heart into what is best for the child. When agreements are reached you can relax and your child will relax as well? Every situation is different but if you refuse to attend mediation it could be assumed that you selfishly want overall control and you are not thinking about what is best for your own child.
We only want contact to be part of our grandchildren’s lives and to know they are well and happy. Grandparents love to see their grandchildren, but are equally happy when they go home safe and sound.
Jimmy Deuchars
Grandparents Apart UK
22 Alness Crescent
Glasgow G52 1PJ
0141 882 5658
http://www.grandparentsapart.co.uk
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