The Panic over Rights for Grandparents

The Panic over Rights for Grandparents
Radio 5 Live. 17th June 2010

Radio 5 Live today asked me to comment on what Nick Clegg is proposing for giving more rights to grandparents. The only difference this is making is causing panic among parents who are against the proposal that grandparents will be able to muscle in on their children’s upbringing. Already on the show a mother was up in arms at the proposal of grandparents having more rights. I can assure parents they have nothing to fear as Scotland already have what the Tories are proposing and it does not make one iota of difference.

The Governments Proposal:- the requirement for grandparents to crave a courts permission to go to court is to be lifted allowing them to hire a lawyer and go directly to court.. In actual fact, we feel this is removing a safeguard if grandparents do not fulfil the criteria required to win their case. Thousands of grandparents have spent their life savings in desperation to see their grandchildren, but at the end of the day if it is not in a child’s best interests no amount of money will win the right to see them for a judge has the final decision.

Our proposal is:- that Parents come first and foremost in a child’s life and if for some reason they cannot look after the children the grandparents should be first in line to care for them. This would keep them in a stable home environment and minimise the devastating effect separation has on their young lives.

The problem is that grandparents are considered irrelevant persons by the government and social services in a child’s life. They are often cut off, especially by social services, which often causes the child to be given to strangers in a crucial time of their lives which affects them for ever.

The Charter for Grandchildren that was created by a Scottish government does not in any way impinge on parental rights. It states that everyone including professionals should look more closely at the role grandparents can play in a child’s life and is totally focussed on the best interests of the child.

PROFESSIONALS ARE IGNORING THE CHARTER AS IT IS ADVISORY ONLY AND IT IS TOO MUCH BOTHER FOR THEM TO ADOPT IT BECAUSE ACCORDING TO THEM GRANDPARENTS ARE NOT RELEVANT IN THEIR GRANDCHILDREN’S LIVES.

Glasgow City Council adopted the Charter on 18th February 2010 at a full council meeting but GLASGOW SOCIAL SERVICES are obstructing the full implementation of it.

“Bringing Families Together” Is Our Motto but this government proposal is about to cause more conflict between families.

See more, visit:-
http://chatterboxblogforyou.blogspot.com/2010/06/grandparents-and-their-status-in-family.html


Jimmy Deuchars
Grandparents Apart UK
22 Alness crescent
Glasgow G52 1PJ
0141 882 5658
http://www.grandparentsapart.co.uk