Grandparents Apart UK.

Looking Back.

Because of our dwindling numbers it is time to review our situation. A recent survey by an outside organisation, (About Families) based at Edinburgh University, was just about the best thing that could happen for us. A first class result on the help we give people who have contacted us.

When we had the problem Margaret and I were devastated and could not think straight or who to turn to. Hopefully we have taken a lot of the strain off grandparents since we started up in 2000.

I remember the time when grandparents had no recognition whatsoever regards their family. You were lucky to be recognised through tradition or you found out the hard way when you got a lawyers letter, or whatever, saying you were not to see your grandchildren anymore.

Now when families are discussed by other groups and government papers we are generally included more and more. The profile of grandparents has been raised considerably and I believe it has been our efforts of publicly speaking, lobbying the governments and standing up to lawyers who were falsely telling grandparents that they had rights to their grandchildren, “you just needed to go to court to claim them”, said the same lawyers charging a fortune.

It is well recognised now by the public that grandparents have no legal rights to their grandchildren and step by step the mystery surrounding this issue is becoming clearer and clearer. Clearing the fog and getting the message across to the public has been a hard task especially when we have governments, lawyers, social workers and professionals working in the welfare of children fighting against us because it would mean a change to their system.

We have thousands of grandparents who passed through our helpline complaining they have been ignored by social services; courts etc. who have informed them “you are irrelevant to your own grandchildren”. The powers at be say they do include grandparents but all these grandparents can’t be wrong.   It is easier for social services and others to have a child removed from its birth family rather than allow the child to be raised by the grandparents. It appears that grandparents are second class citizens when it comes to a family crisis and the grandchildren’s relationships with their grandparents and extended family are forgotten.

In 2005 alongside the 2006 Family Law Bill (Scotland) the vote in Parliament for grandparent’s rights was heavily defeated, but the Charter for Grandchildren was created by the government, us and others. It was meant to be a directive from the government to professionals and families that work in the welfare of children to look more closely at the role grandparents can play in their grandchildren’s lives.

The Charter, as it is, has been proven to be ignored by everyone because it is only advisory. Using the very Charter that was from the government (their words) we thought this should be easy to move it up a step to be legalised as problems for children are getting worse.

Social services have a (We will do it our way) attitude and label grandparents as uncooperative if they as much as hint that they are not pleased at the children’s treatment. With all the mistakes they have made one would think they would be glad of some help but their attitude is well fixed before hand and impossible to change.

One other reason that children miss out on their grandparents is Woman’s Aid, which started as a refuge for domestic violence and very worthwhile it is too.  Sadly, they

have taken on the role of excluding the grandparents on the father’s side even when they have done no wrong. Children and grandparents’ hearts have been broken by this unnecessary move and the sentence was isolation/separation when no crime has been committed. Woman’s Aid refused to meet to discuss this and refused us their constitution.

We have worked very hard as a voluntary organisation and it would be a shame if in a year we could not continue. This year’s drive for cash has only covered the stamp money so unless we get membership and donations the future looks bleak.

Thank you for those who have submitted.

Jimmy Deuchars  (Manager)

Grandparents Apart UK

22 Alness Cresnent

Glasgow G52 1PJ

0141 882 5658

www.grandparentsapart.co.uk

Labour call's for child protection inquiry

Published on Thursday 17 May 2012 09:55

A public inquiry is needed into child protection so people can have confidence in the system, Labour leader Johann Lamont has said.

She repeated the demand in the wake of the case of murdered toddler Declan Hainey.
His mother Kimberley Hainey was jailed for life for the crime, along with failing to report his death and concealing the body in her Paisley flat.
Declan's body was discovered in March 2010 when he would have been 23 months old. Experts said he had been dead for several months.
Ms Lamont raised the case as she called for a full public inquiry into child protection systems across Scotland.

While a significant case review into Declan's' death said there were at least 16 points where action was needed, inspectors examining child protection in the area had claimed it was "excellent", she told the First Minister.
Ms Lamont urged: "Will the First Minister please order a full public inquiry into child protection, not just in Renfrewshire but across Scotland, so the public can have confidence that our systems are protecting the most vulnerable children?"
Alex Salmond told the Labour leader his Government was taking action, bringing forward legislation to "ensure all children's services have a strong focus on early-years prevention and early intervention".
He insisted: "We are not in the slightest complacent about the tragedies that have occurred."
But he said: "The responsibility for wrongdoing and for the most tragic cases does at the end of the day lie with the perpetrator."

Sunday Post on Dedicated Mnister for Older People.

Government told to reconsider court restrictions on independent social workers

By Janaki Mahadevan, Thursday 19 April 2012

Criticism of independent social workers is not grounded in evidence, researchers from Oxford University have found.

Family courts have been told to reduce the reliance on independent social workers.

The Family Justice Review, which published its final report in November last year, called for independent social workers to only be employed in family courts in exceptional circumstances.
It cited delays in the system and duplication of evidence as reasons for the restricted use of the specialist professionals.
But research from Oxford University, based on 65 cases concerning 121 children, found that cases referred to independent social workers involved children and parents with multiple problems.
In nearly half of the cases, the social workers had conducted work that had not already been undertaken by local authorities. Where reports were delayed, in most cases it was due to change in circumstances of the cases. On all other occasions, the reports were filed to the lead solicitor on time.
John Simmonds, policy director at the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, said: “It is clear that there needs to be a re-evaluation of the negative picture that is currently driving reform.
"This must include a robust evaluation of what is at danger of being lost to court processes that make life-changing decisions on the future of children.”
Most of the cases examined by the researchers involved children aged six or younger who were subject to concerns or allegations of failed parenting.
On average, the specialist social workers had 24 years' experience in the children's social care profession.
Hilton Dawson, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, said:
“At last we have an evidence base to give us a true indication of the value added to family court proceedings by highly experienced independent social workers. The research challenges the views presented in the Family Justice Review.”
The report concluded that if the government moves forward with the recommendations of the Family Justice Review, without further research into the impact of independent social workers, it risks failing children and increasing delays.
Philip King, director of the Confederation of Independent Social Work Agencies, said: “With a dramatic rise in the numbers of children coming into care, the research highlights that courts may be severely hampered by a lack of access to these experts who have been shown to be able to provide high-quality, forensic reports to meet deadlines.
“The government needs to urgently rethink its policy towards social work experts if it is to meet its own agenda for more decisive and speedier justice for the most vulnerable children within our society.”

Magazine wants your story. Fee offered.

 Hi there

I'm a writer for Grazia magazine and I was wondering whether you might be able to help with a case study search.

I'm urgently looking to speak to a woman who lost custody of her children in a divorce because she was a working mum, and her husband argued that she worked too many hours to care for their child/children.

Do you think there's any way you might know of someone who would consider sharing her story?

Age-wise we're looking for someone who's 39 or under, and we'd want her to be pictured in the magazine. I can guarantee that the feature will be handled very sensitively and sympathetically, and we can read
the piece back to whoever we speak to before it goes to press to make sure that it's all accurate and that she's 100% happy with it.

We can also pay her a fee to say thanks for taking the time to speak to us, and of course we'd be happy to credit your organisation so that other women affected by this issue can seek help.

In view of the fact that many of our readers are working mothers, we're keen to highlight this extremely important issue, and would appreciate any help on this.

I'd be more than grateful if you could get back to me as soon as possible.

Many thanks and kind regards,


Caroline

Disadvantaged Scottish families less likely to access health visitor checks

http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1072814/disadvantaged-scottish-children-access-health-visitor-checks?utm_content=&utm_campaign=Early%20Years%20Now&utm_source=Children%20%26%20Young%20People%20Now&utm_medium=adestra_email&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cypnow.co.uk%2Fcyp%2Fnews%2F1072814%2Fdisadvantaged-scottish-children-access-health-visitor-checks

An Easter Message

If Jesus was born in today’s troubled times would the same thing happen?

The Mission of Jesus

Jesus was born, in a stable, so unkind
His mission on earth was for the sake of mankind.
He was raised in a family who were workers in wood
and his life on this earth was only for good

He was an ordinary lad growing up in hard times
But in him stirred something that was spiritually fine
He confounded the wise men with wisdom and lore
And cleared out the temple and told them 'no more'

The story of old is that he healed all the sick
some people thought it was some kind of trick.
tis what YOU believe that matters to you
so listen to his teaching and follow him too.

The priests at the time were so unkind
If people believed Jesus, then they would find
That they were controlled by lies and deceit
his truth would leave the church facing defeat.

So they plotted against him and brought him to trial
His followers were frightened and uttered denial
the crucifixion carried out was a terrible blow
Now the truth for mankind, will they never know?

But Jesus’ mission was clear and precise
A message so simple is for all to be nice
‘to love one another as he has loved you’
If you follow this teaching, God will bless you.
 
Jimmy

Jimmy Deuchars 0141 882 5658