Demo this Thursday. RFFJ, FnF Grandparents Apart UK

Salmond to face protest at Hearts football match

A Fathers 4 Justice protest at Holyrood in 2004

Published on Monday 28 November 2011 12:13

MEMBERS of a fathers’ rights group are planning to confront Alex Salmond during a football match at Tynecastle and climb on the roofs of some the Capital’s “prominent buildings” as part of their latest protest.

Campaign group New Fathers 4 Justice, which champions rights for fathers and grandparents in the face of a family breakdown, is set to stage its first major event in Scotland for several years this Thursday, which will include scaling some of the city’s landmarks if they are “prevented from doing other [more peaceful] things”.
A spokesman for the group also revealed that “between now and the New Year” some members intended to track down Alex Salmond and “cause chaos” during one of his visits to watch Hearts after they received information about his route to the stadium.
Their first demonstration, from 9am on December 1, includes a march to the Scottish Parliament and up the Royal Mile wearing superhero and Santa costumes.
Spokesman Richard Adams stressed their wish to conduct a “peaceful protest”, but he pointed out that they were willing to climb roofs if they are prevented from carrying out their initial plans.
He said: “That’ll be the back-up situation if we are prevented from doing other things, if it is our only option. We’d prefer to keep this peaceful, although you could quite easily see one or two dads on a building. This is our first major protest in Scotland since 2005 and we have people travelling from all over the country. It is to support fathers and grandparents who don’t see their child or grandchild. Christmas is such a tough time.
“We’ll walk towards the Parliament as we know Alex Salmond will be inside for question time. We are calling on him to support fathers, to support a presumption of contact if the child is not at risk.”
Protesters are assembling at the car park at Abbey Lane, Abbeyhill, from 9am. They will then march down to Holyrood and demonstrate outside the Parliament before moving up the Royal Mile. Mr Adams added that a small number of members would meet elsewhere in case police decided to use “strong-arm tactics”.
He pointed out that the Hearts ambush would take place at a later date. He said: “That protest is slightly separate. Somebody well connected to the club who supports our cause has told us when he [Salmond] is there and we have been provided with a map of how he gets to the stadium.
“We are not targeting Hearts, we are targeting Alex Salmond. We want him to say he supports more rights for fathers and grandparents when a family breakdown happens. It’s all about equality and asking why a father doesn’t have that equality.”
Jimmy Deuchars, a campaigner for grandparents’ rights, added: “At Christmas time we get such sad stories building up from grandparents who are not allowed to see their grandchildren. Some grandparents have a room full of presents which they save in the hope that they’ll see them someday.”

Grandparents Apart Wales.

        A Grandmother’s Anguish 25th November 2011                                  
On Wednesday the 23rd November 2011 the Deputy Minister for Social Services said in plenary that Wales leads the UK in listening to children by incorporating the 42 Articles in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into domestic law.

However we have since heard this story from a Welsh grandmother which tragically questions the Deputy Minister’s statement and her implication that the Welsh Government recognises and is fully committed to the articles in the UNCRC.

This is a story of Pauline (Fictitious Name) who sadly lost her son last year so the children involved had the colossal trauma of having to deal with that as did Pauline. Then the children lost their maternal grandfather which caused them more immeasurable distress and possible psychological damage, and at a time when the whole family should have been together sharing this grief and supporting each other Pauline was desperately trying to get contact with her grandchildren.

Pauline sent presents and cheques as most loving grandparents do at birthdays, Xmas etc. but those were disregarded.

Pauline met with the maternal grandmother to try and build bridges with the children’s mother and when this proved unsuccessful, Pauline took the only path left open to her which was to approach a Solicitor in Family Law for advice.
Mediation was arranged but the children’s mother didn’t bother to turn up at the session and when no progress was made, the case went to court where to Pauline’s astonishment the character assignation of her began.

Pauline was accused of interfering and that the children aged 6 and 8 years of age would not be safe in her company. She was even accused of having once tried to kidnap the children.
There was not a scrap of evidence produced in court to support any of these allegations made by the mother’s solicitor and the case was adjourned.

Later Pauline returned to the same court and CAFCASS I am pleased to say had written to the court that they could find no reason why the children could not stay over at Pauline’s. They also wrote that the mother had to be in control.
Pauline’s barrister stated that there was no logical reason why Pauline should not see her grandchildren but the court never made a decision and again it was adjourned.

Pauline was never offered a supervised visit with her grandchildren or she would have accepted it unconditionally which should have proved her sincerity in her application to see her grandchildren.

So Pauline has followed the proper procedures in Wales where ministers and the authorities are supposedly implementing the UNCRC and where the Deputy Minister has said that children in Wales are listened to and that their interests are paramount.

So what did the children have to say in this case you may ask, and who listened to them, or what are the children being told about the court case and especially, why, it is necessary for their loving grandmother to go to court and take action against their mother?
Just what information are these children getting and from whom? 

It is only when one reads such things that one realises the futility of it all and the damage that is being done unconsciously to the children involved and society as a whole.

We in Grandparents Apart Wales implore the Welsh Government to be transparent in their respect for the wishes of children so that, they are heard and protected and that they have the knowledge of their family’s history, culture and religion which in the above case is being totally ignored because it is the children’s Welsh heritage link on the paternal side that the mother by her determined action is denying the children.

The Deputy Minister said that “A Charter for Grandchildren” would only confuse matters connected with children, but we are crystal clear what rights of a child should be protected and the first is the child’s right of access to both parents and the wider family which by its very makeup gives the child that love, affection, and stability so needed for the child’s welfare and wellbeing which benefits their future and that of society.

All governments in the United Kingdom acknowledge the importance of grandparent’s to the family so why is there not more commonsense to protect grandparents furthermore why does the courts not recognise how essential it is that children have access to their grand/parents or at least declare good reason why not.

We thank Pauline for allowing us to tell her story.

Frank
Grandparents Apart Wales

http://t.co/1qnWEiv2

Petition to Scrap the FAMILY JUSTICE REVIEW FINAL REPORT (EDM 2382)

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22695

Demo on 1st December 2011. Christmas theme.

                                        Demo of all Demos.

Thursday 1^st December 20011 10.am-3pm @ The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh marching up the Royal Mile.

A Christmas Theme for the love of our children. Dress code Santa’s outfit pressies and carols will be sung.  (ahem)

We call on the Scottish Government to listen to the people who suffer rather than the people who profit from the unfair Justice System of our country.

1.       Shared Parenting to be the norm in the UK.

2.       The Charter for Grandchildren to be made legal.

Shared Parenting as defined in the following.

 By FNF Scotland on Wednesday, November
23, 2011 at 2:16PM

The Swiss government has decided that separated parents should automatically have joint custody of their children except in cases involving the specific protection of the child.
When a couple splits or gets divorced, custody of their children will be shared without the need for a prior agreement or the approval of a judge.

Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said that the Federal Council considered the move obvious, since a child has the right to build an autonomous relationship with both father and mother.

All political parties, as well as family and children's associations, welcomed Sommaruga’s proposal, which is widely expected to pass into law when voted on in parliament in the coming weeks.

But while joint custody is set to become the norm, a judge will still have to sign off on the suitability of both parents to take responsibility for their children. A parent may be denied custody for reasons including infirmity, a history of violence or absence.

At present in Switzerland, when a couple divorces, one parent generally gets sole custody. If the couple is not married, the mother is the legal custodian. For now, joint custody is only possible if both parties sign an agreement on how they plan to distribute and share alimony and childcare.

The draft proposal also regulates the question of residence. If a parent wishes to move, either alone or with the child, he or she will need the consent of the other party. If there is no agreement, a judge will have to intervene to protect the well-being of the child.

Making The Charter for Grandchildren Legal:- 

 The Charter for Grandchildren was created by a Scottish Government in response to the evidence for the need of it by Grandparent’s Apart UK. However it was only made advisory to accompany the new 206 Family Law 2006 Act.

 It has proven that professionals working in the welfare of children are not entering into the spirit of the Charter as the government had hoped and now requires for the Charter to be made mandatory for the benefit of our children.  The Charter for Grandchildren does not give grandparents any power over parents or any authority looking after children but does ensure that the role grandparents can play in a child’s lives is utilised to the full or an explanation to the contrary. At present grandparents are mostly ignored as irrelevant persons when they express concern over the way children are being treated by the said professionals.  (Totally blind obedience or out)

It is well recognised that grandparents are the biggest carers of children in the world and a child has a far greater chance of growing up with love and stability than a child that has been through the care system. It is well known again that a child that goes through the care system is being deprived of the family stability element and joins gangs to fulfil that need.    The often become unmanageable, bitter, resentful and a greater chance of being a non-achiever with no respect for anyone.

Dedicated Minister for Older people

Wehave a Petition waiting to appear in the Scottish Governments Patitopn Epetitions. it should be out shortly.

The Scottish Governments has answered alresdy our call for this but we will still carry it through.

Jimmy Deuchars
Grandparents Apart UK

Dear Jimmy,


Thank for you for supporting Grey Pride.  We just wanted to let you know that the joint letter to David Cameron (pasted below) will be appearing in Saturday's Telegraph.   All organisations will be listed online atTelegraph.co.uk


Thanks again, Hayley on behalf of Grey Pride.


 SIR – Unprecedented demographic change and the demands it places on individuals and the state requires an immediate and integrated response from Government.

The Coalition is to be congratulated on the commission on care and support funding. But the recommended solutions address only one element of the enormous changes which our ageing society necessitates.
137,000 Grey Pride supporters propose that a minister should be given explicit responsibility for representing the needs of older people at Cabinet level. Steve Webb, the pensions minister, and Paul Burstow, the social care minister, are among a host of ministers who play crucial roles in elements of public policy relating to older people. Such roles should continue.
But there is no minister whose job title indicates it is also their role to consider the general needs of one of the largest and fastest-growing groups in the country.
The issues affecting older people include care, housing, planning, financial pressures, transport and discrimination. Only by looking at these issues in the round can we create a society which supports older people and recognises and benefits from their valuable contribution. 

Hayley Warwick

Account Executive, Citizen Brando

Short debate for a Charter for Grandchildren held in plenary in the National Assembly of Wales

Dear Friends and Members,

There was a short debate for a Charter for Grandchildren held in plenary in the National Assembly of Wales which was opened by Janet Finch-Saunders AM with the full support of the Conservative Group in the Assembly.

I would have thought such a debate would have had the full attention of the other members but only the Deputy Minister for Social Services Gwenda Thomas AM was in attendance.
The Charter for Grandchildren is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and it was those very rights that the Deputy Minister used to advise that the Charter would just confuse.

The minster pointed out that the Welsh Government had “Children’s Measures” in place which placed a duty on Welsh Ministers to have due regard to the UNCRC which is somewhat different to children having rights enshrined in law as she was implying.

Furthermore the minister spoke of Families First, Flying Start, and Communities First which are all part of the Integrated Family Support Service and all very commendable and we as a charity welcome support for families but that relates in the main to poverty and nothing to do with access to grand/parents by children.

The minister was eloquent in her defence of the Welsh Government’s commitment to children and the support of families that I wonder why, is it a fact, that there are so many charities saying different.
Why is it that we have so many charities funded by the same government that have opposing views regarding children not being heard. That is what is confusing!

Only last week another charity was commissioned “Children Screaming to be Heard” and one wonders how can that be, children needing to be heard when in Wales we have a minister in the National Assembly Senedd stating that children are listened to in accordance with the articles in the UNCRC.

Something is not right and grand/parents denied access to the children they love, know it.
No wonder grand/parents lose heart when our leaders give them no hope, but there is hope, and this hope stems from a political group in Wales bringing the plight of children denied access to their grand/parents to the attention of government and it is that hope that we can build on for a better future for our children.

I hope all is well with you.

Frank
Grandparents Apart Wales

Shared parenting to be the norm in Switzerland

By FNF Scotland on Wednesday, November
23, 2011 at 2:16PM

The Swiss government has decided that separated parents should automatically have joint custody of their children except in cases involving the specific protection of the child.
When a couple splits or gets divorced, custody of their children will be shared without the need for a prior agreement or the approval of a judge.
Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said that the Federal Council considered the move obvious, since a child has the right to build an autonomous relationship with both father and mother.
All political parties, as well as family and children's associations, welcomed Sommaruga’s proposal, which is widely expected to pass into law when voted on in parliament in the coming weeks.
But while joint custody is set to become the norm, a judge will still have to sign off on the suitability of both parents to take responsibility for their children. A parent may be denied custody for reasons including infirmity, a history of violence or absence.
At present in Switzerland, when a couple divorces, one parent generally gets sole custody. If the couple is not married, the mother is the legal custodian. For now, joint custody is only possible if both parties sign an agreement on how they plan to distribute and share alimony and childcare.
The draft proposal also regulates the question of residence. If a parent wishes to move, either alone or with the child, he or she will need the consent of the other party. If there is no agreement, a judge will have to intervene to protect the well-being of the child. (The Local english newspaper)

Sharon. This is our story.

A million children in Britain are banned from seeing their grandparents because of family breakdown. Now the forgotten victims are fighting back...

By Diana Appleyard

Last updated at 8:13 AM on 29th October 2008

• Comments (62)
• Add to My Stories

Margaret Deuchar's cosy front room is filled with photographs of her granddaughters. Pictures of the girls as babies, toddlers taking their first, faltering steps and sitting with their hair in neat bunches with their grandparents beaming beside them.

Margaret, 64, points to the pictures proudly - but her eyes fill with tears as she talks about the grandchildren she adores.

Because the children in the pictures - raised by their grandparents after their mother died suddenly - were later torn from Margaret's arms, innocent victims of their father's new relationship and a legal system that gives loving grandparents no rights at all.

No more rights than a stranger: A million children in Britain are banned from seeing their grandparents when families breakdown

Margaret was forced to spend £5,000 of her life's savings, and go through a year-long legal battle to be allowed limited visitation rights.

She says softly: 'We were allowed only one visit every five or six weeks. Just a few precious hours to try to be the grandparents the girls need so badly. It's been so hard.

When we first met up with the girls after nearly a year apart, Sophie clung to me and said: "Why can't we come and stay with you?" and it nearly broke my heart.

'I simply didn't have an answer. How can you tell a child you love that her father's new partner doesn't want you in their lives?'

Sadly, Margaret and husband Jimmy are not alone in their anguish. More and more grandparents are finding that, through divorce, relationship breakdown or bereavement, they are being ripped out of the lives of the grandchildren they love so much.

It is estimated that there are more than a million grandchildren in the UK who are not allowed to see their grandparents.

And with divorce figures ever rising, this sad statistic can only get worse. There is a bleak incomprehension among this generation of ostracised grandparents.

As Jimmy Deuchars says: 'We are the old guard, a generation who believe marriage is for life. Grandparents provide a vital part of the secure base that a child needs to grow up without damage.

'The family should be rock solid and unquestioning. That concept has all but disappeared today.'

'We were cut out of their lives'

Family life for Jimmy and Margaret was torn apart 15 years ago when their 25-year-old daughter was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. She had just given birth to her younger daughter, Charlotte, and made a heartbreaking plea to her parents as she lay dying.

Jimmy, from Glasgow, falters as he recalls the vows made that day. 'It was just before she died. We were sitting at her hospital bedside and she clung to us and said: "Please, please look after the girls."

'We were all in shock but we held her, kissed her and reassured her that Sophie, then two, and newborn Charlotte would be loved and cared for by us for the rest of our lives.'

Grieving for their mother, the two girls embraced the stability of their grandparents' home. But after three years everything changed.

Margaret recalls: 'Our son-in-law met a new partner, who lived in Liverpool. I don't think she ever really wanted the girls, but she wanted him.

'He scooped them up and took them down to live with her in Liverpool. She didn't want anything to do with his late wife's family, and we were simply cut out of their lives.

'We were told we would be allowed to see them every month, but then contact just slipped away - it was "too cold" to bring them north, or they were busy.

'For at least six months we did not see them at all, which broke our hearts. My husband said he didn't want to go on living if he couldn't see his granddaughters, which was why we took legal action so quickly.'

For this gentle couple, whose lives have always revolved around family, the shock was immense. 'I could not believe anyone would do this,' Jimmy says. 'We were the girls' security. They loved their dad, but they relied on us.'

Like many other grandparents before them, Jimmy and Margaret were utterly horrified to discover they had no more rights to see their grandchildren than a stranger.

'We're not wealthy, but we knew we had to do something. We saw a lawyer, and said we had to battle this out in the courts,' Margaret says.

The forgotten victims: Many grandparents are denied access to their grandchildren out of spite when parents separate

After a year of wrangling, it was agreed they could see the girls once a month.

'It was heart-breaking, but better than nothing.' Jimmy says, 'When we saw them after all that time apart, we were all crying.

'We met up halfway between Glasgow and Liverpool, at Carlisle Castle, and as they came running up to us with their arms outstretched, we both burst into tears.'

For the next three years, the couple drove to Carlisle every month to see their granddaughters.

'There were always a thousand hugs and kisses. They'd ask us: "Why? Why couldn't we see you, Grandad?" 'What could we say? We took them out for lunch, they ran about in the castle grounds, and then it would be time to say goodbye.

'Every time it was so painful, and I'd drive home with my wife in floods of tears.'

Jimmy points to the photographs of his granddaughters. The couple see the girls, now 15 and 17, around 11 times a year, including holidays.

'They are the most important thing in our lives,' he says. It is a tragic truth that all too often in the bitter fallout from a divorce or break-up, children are used as pawns to 'punish' the other partner - while the grandparents are caught up in this emotional blackmail.

In 90 per cent of cases, as women generally win custody of the children, it is the ex-husband and his parents who are cast out into the cold.

After his experience, Jimmy Deuchars is campaigning for a change in the law.

'We need this Charter for Grandchildren' he says. 'The relationship between a young child and a grandparent is so special, and yet there are a million children in the UK wondering what they did that is so bad they're no longer allowed to see granny or grandpa.'

Beware of the Amazon Scam.

I bought my wife a kindle from Amazon. The adapter came from a different source from the Kindle. We plugged it in to charge it and the adapter blew up and fused all my power source.  I emailed Amazon with all the details and all they replied was contact their helpline at £1.53p a minute when every detail was in front of them

 The adapter would only cost about £4.00p but it is ridiculous that we have to pay them to get our statuary rights.

The rambling of David Norgrove.

 In a letter to one of our callers David Norgrove has promoted grandparents as important in a child’s lives to vital. Unfortunately he did not make it legal. He goes on to say that contact for grandparents after the parents split up is still the norm until grandparents take sides and cause trouble.  It breaks our hearts to see our son or daughter split up and in a bid to protect the children grandparents make it clear that they won’t take sides in an effort to give the parting parents the chance to make up.

 The problem starts when the parent who has the children meets another partner and they want the family all to themselves. Then big changes happen. They expect grandparents to take it on the chin that they won’t see their grandchildren any more. The children get used as weapons to get at the other parent and grandparent and bring about separation altogether. Animosity comes out and the other parent, grandparents/children are sadly the losers as the law only favours one parent. This is a very vicious step to the innocent parties when the contact has been very close as seldom is the children’s feelings taken into account.  One day a child has a father and two grandparents then suddenly they don’t.

 Write to your local authority and government asking them to accept the Charter for Grandchildren which focuses on the best interests of the child. Grandparents can be a huge asset to children’s stability, caring, protection early intervention offering huge savings to local authorities.

 Almost 40,000 children are subject to a child protection plan, Children in Need Census reveals

Welsh Ass. Debate on charter for grandchildren./

Grandparents Apart Wales is putting forward in a Short Debate in the National Assembly of Wales on the 23th November 2011 "A Charter for Grandchildren" and it will be led by the very able Conservative Assembly Member Mrs. Janet Finch-Saunders AM.
I sent the speech to Jimmy for him to read as I am so thankful that people such as you and Jimmy are there to support grandparents denied acess from their grandchildren.

My journey has been long but I have stuck with it, sometimes alone, but never without faith and with the knowledge that people like you Jimmy and others were there to help me should that be necessary.

So this breakthrough is a success for Grandparents Apart UK and I hope that we can look forward to better things in the future,

I look forward to this essential debate for the sake of children and families in general.

Cheers June you are simply something else!
Best wishes

Frank x

The Politics of the Charter for Grandchildren.

Will our children ever have the benefit from it?

 No Scottish political party has shown much enthusiasm for helping our grandchildren benefit from the role grandparents can play in their lives. Heavy lobbying about how grandparents are excluded by law and a multitude of case histories and petitions motivated the then Scottish Executive to produce the Charter for Grandchildren. It was created as advisory with no bite to it and has been completely ignored by the professionals working in the welfare of children as every day we hear of grandchildren still being cut of from their grandparents love and protection. The governments past and present have failed miserably We can only come to the conclusion The Charter for Grandchildren was just created without any real attempt to improve the lives of our grandchildren.

 The present government had a couple of SNP MSPs from our area in Glasgow and Kilmarnock show some interest but they soon faded away when the were asked to do something positive. This subject is very low on Alec Salmonds priority list.  In fact the SNP not only has shown little time for the Charter for Grandchildren but deliberately got shot of it by passing the buck for its administration down to the local authorities.

 Glasgow City Chambers, the same political party that created the Charter for Grandchildren very quickly voted to accept the Charter for Grandchild and passed it to the DPC committee they will need too analyse the charter to see what can be used although it was the same government who created it using their own lawyers in a stakeholders group in the best interests of the children. So, what is there to analyse?

 David Crawford of Glasgow Social Services stated that they already use what the Charter for Grandchildren contains. If they do it is very short lived as thousands of grandparents through our books still tell a different story of being ignored and lies told about them false meetings etc. They have not entered into the spirit of the Charter for Grandchildren but carry on their usual abrupt arrogant ways.

 Glasgow City Councillor for our area  Alistair Watson took up our cause but very soon did not reply to our letters.

 Children are still not enjoying the protection and care their grandparents can give them because of these delays and it’s a disgrace.

 Jimmy Deuchars

Grandparents Apart UK
22 Alness crescent
Glasgow G52 1PJ
0141 882 5658

http://www.grandparentsapart.co.uk

Nearly 200,000 babies at risk of harm in the UK

Where are their grandparents.

By Janaki MahadevanThursday, 10 November 2011

1 comment

Nearly 200,000 babies in the UK are at risk of serious harm, according to figures released by the NSPCC as it launched its campaign to highlight the vulnerability of children aged under one.

Babies are eight times more likely to be killed than any other age group in childhood

The All Babies Count campaign calls on the government to ensure sufficient services are available so families are supported during infancy and pregnancy because babies are eight times more likely to be killed than any other age group in childhood.
According to research conducted by the charity, more than 198,000 babies are considered high risk because they are born into homes with mental health problems, domestic violence or drink and drug dependency.
Chris Cuthbert, NSPCC head of strategy and development for under-ones, said: "We know from serious case reviews that around half relate to babies under one. We’ve undertaken some research, which has looked at the prevalence of parental factors such as substance misuse, mental illness and domestic abuse.

"These figures show the scale of need. We are looking at around 200,000 babies across the UK who are living in households that are affected by some of these problems. There is an increasing political rhetoric around the importance of early intervention but we are keen to see that translated into greater action and services on the ground."

The report also recommends that the government gives commissioners in health services and local authorities the powers and responsibility to ensure early intervention services are in place and reviews current early intervention services available for families every two years, using this to deliver an action plan to address gaps.
The NSPCC is also set to launch early intervention programmes in 20 areas across the UK.
These include the Preventing Non-Accidental Head Injury Programme, which will provide a DVD to all parents before they leave hospital after the birth of a child to help prepare them for the pressures of crying and sleeplessness, and highlight the risk of head injuries.
The charity will also run Parents under Pressure, an intensive home visiting and parenting programme working with parents receiving drug or alcohol treatment who have a child under two in their care. Vulnerable first-time mothers will also benefit from the Mind the Baby intensive home-visiting programme.
Children’s minister Tim Loughton said: "Today's report from the NSPCC shows exactly why we are focusing on intervening early to help the most vulnerable children. We are providing an extra 4,200 health visitors and are doubling the places on the family nurse partnership programme to work with the most vulnerable young families.
"But we are clear, where children are at risk they need to be protected from harm. We are reforming the child protection system to make it work much better for children. We are also changing the approach to serious case reviews so that there is more effective learning from practice that drives sustained improvement at the front line."

Children share experiences of life in the care system

By Janaki MahadevanTuesday, 15 November 2011

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The importance that children in care place on relationships and routines are among the insights revealed in 100 personal diary entries published by the children's rights director.

Children in care wrote diaries for a week. Image: Office of the Children's Rights Director

Dr Roger Morgan has published the diary notes of 23 children who are in care, leaving care or living in boarding schools or residential special schools.
The young volunteers filled a diary for a week, with 100 accounts recorded in the report. One 11-year-old wrote: "Foster care isn’t as bad as people say it is because I always thought I would die if I came into care but I loved it. Some days weren’t good, but others were the best days of my life.

"The sad thing about being in care is when it comes up to Mother's Day or Father's Day but if you see them then that isn’t as bad but even if you don’t you can get your foster carers something as they are like your mum and dad."

In children’s homes, a lot was written about food and cooking together, a theme that was also prevalent in other settings. One 14-year-old wrote: "We had tea then me and Chris baked cakes and we really enjoyed ourselves. We spent 30 minutes preparing time, 30 minutes cooking time, 15 minutes cooling time and 30 minutes decorating time. Then I tidied up and went to bed at 10."
Among the noted experiences of children in secure units were friends leaving and instances of restraint. One 15-year-old wrote: "Lock down! We didn’t have enough members of staff to deal with all 11 of us – so breakfast in bed for us... Annie left today – she’s been in secure for 18 months – I gave her a hug and she broke down in tears, I’m going to miss her."
Morgan said the diary entries gave "a clear insight" into the lives of children in the care system.
"As the diary entries have not been amended we can understand clearly the emotions, thoughts and concerns of the children and young people, and the children speak for themselves," he said.
"When reading the diary entries it is clear there are some recurring themes, such as relationships between children, the experience of living in a group, the importance of staff support, food and routines. Some of those in care wrote about the impact it had on their lives and some offered advice to other children if they ever found themselves being placed in care."

Give your story here.

Hello Jim
Good to talk to you earlier on.  As I explained, I'm writing a Grandparents' response to comments by David Norgrove as part of the Family Justice Review.  The piece is initially for SAGA Magazine.
He said that
"Grandparents could be extremely important in a child's life, but some made problems worse during divorces by demanding the right to have contact with the children"
I wonder if you have any Grandparents on your books who have lost access to their Grandchildren as a result of marital breakup, through not
 fault of their own who might be case studied for me??
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes

Christine Megson
Meganewswest
Meganewswest@aol.com
07966142530

PARENTLINE SCOTLAND,

I've been doing some volunteering with PARENTLINE SCOTLAND, a great organisation but hardly anyone I speak to seems to be aware of it or what they do! 
So a bit of a publicity drive is under way and I wondered if you would be so kind, if you thought it appropriate, to pass it on/post etc.  There's a link below to a writer and blogger who posted about her experience of using the service.
http://www.bang2write.com/2011/11/writer-parents-do-you-know-about-these.html
Best wishes

Governments answer to Eastenders real live portrayel of children brought up in care.

        Original Story  http://jimmydeuchars.blogspot.com/2011/10/bbc-are-doing-our-job-of-highlighting.html?spref=fb

                                                             

Children and Families Directorate Care and Justice Division

T: 0131-2445479 F: 0131-244 0978

E: thomas.hutchinson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Mr Jimmy Deuchars Grandparents Apart UK 22 Alness Crescent Glasgow

G521PJ

The Scottish Government

                      

Your ref: BBC - True Life Portrayal of Children from the Care System Our ref: 2011/1020806

10 November 2011

/ Mr Deuchars,

Thank you for your e-mail of 11 October to Brian Adam MSP, in which you expressed concern around the content of the BBC programme Easfenders, as a policy officer in the team that deals with kinship care I have been asked to respond on his behalf.

The Scottish Government believes that all children and young people who experience the care system should have the same life chances as any other youngsters, and that is why it's so important we treat all children and young people equally. The latest phase of the Who Cares? Anti-stigma campaign - Give Me A Chance - plays a key part in achieving this by helping counter any negative stereotyping misguidedly attached to children and young people who are or have been in care. A link to the campaign site is here http://www.givemeachancescotland.org/ .

The Scottish . Government flrQmote~Jhe Getting itRightJocEvery Child (GIRFEC)~approach iilWleprovision ol services. to children and young people. It provides a framework for all services and agencies working with children and families to deliver a co-ordinated approach which is appropriate, proportionate and timely. Among the values and principles of the GIRFEC approach are recognising that what is going on in one part of a child or young person's life can affect many other areas of his or her life; and supporting, wherever possible, those who know the child or young person well, know what they need, what works well for them and what may not be helpful. Keeping children and young people safe is also fundamental to the approach.

If you have any concerns around the content ,of the BBC programme and feel you need to comment you can contact the broadcaster directly. This can be done in writing to BBC Complaints, PO Box 1922, Darlington, DL3 OUR or by completing an on-line complaints form by visiting www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/formsif you do not get a satisfactory response from the BBC then you can raise your concerns with Of com , the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. You can contact Ofcom through

IS01400lalV, .~

          

Tom Hutchinsen

Victoria Quay. Edinburgh EH6 6QQ www.scotland.gov.uk

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          lIE                        INVESTOR IN PEOPLE                       IJISAl\.~               • .,

BBC Want to talk to grandparents

PLEASE CONTACT ANNE-MARIE DIRECT.
Anne-Marie Bullock annemarie.bullock@bbc.co.uk to james, me

show details 15:40 (5 hours ago)

Hi Jimmy,
Thanks for taking the time to chat just now. As I mentioned I’m researching for the BBC Radio 4 series One to One in which guests presenters interview people on a subject of interest to them. Newspaper columnist Yasmin Alibhai Brown has expressed an interest in the Family Justice Review and looking at stories of how different relationships have been affected following a divorce or relationship breakdown. I’m looking to chat to grandparents who lost access to their grandchildren following the breakdown of their child’s relationship with their partner. I know this is a sensitive issue but wondered if you have people who’d be willing to speak to me on the phone – just for a research call at this stage – especially if their cases have since been resolved.

If you’re able to contact people you’ve helped to see if they’d be willing that would be great. You can contact me on the number below or on this email.
Thanks again for your help.

Kind regards,

Anne-Marie Bullock
BBC Audio and Music Factual  Production
One to One BBC Radio 4.
Zone 9A, BBC Birmingham,
The Mailbox,
Birmingham, B1 1RF
0121 567 6736
annemarie.bullock@bbc.co.uk