Press release. Immediate. 18th May 2007
In their advert for £3 a month for child line it is stated that NSPCC cannot cope with the amount of calls they receive.
I would put it to NSPCC that the best interests of the child would also be served if grandparents had legal contact with their grandchildren supplying the much needed lifeline that NSPCC admit to being unable to fully supply. How many children are suffering because NSPCC sits on the fence about grandparental contact issues. Is the protection of children exclusive to NSPCC at £3 per month?. Grandparents are devastated at the abuse of their grandchildren because they do not have the legal right to help them.
The legal contact we ask is for 2-3 hours a month or by arrangement using mediation. The legal right to phone calls, texts, e-mails, letters and be able to send birthday and Christmas cards and presents. In short, supplying another helpline for children to someone who cares very much for them and does not depend on funding which is obviously a problem for NSPCC.
Contact which is at the whim of one parent is the cause of children being used as weapons, and to blackmail family members. This can be detrimental to the moral education of children. Remove the issue of exclusive legal contact by one parent and you remove the reasons for children to be educated in deception, mistrust and lack of respect, allowing them to grow up with the love and protection of their whole family. Should there be a reason for denial of contact the onus of proof should be on the objector and if proven should be upheld by law.
As NSPCC truly work in the best interests of children then it cannot be denied that legal contact with grandparents would go a long way to spotting abuse in the home. We call on you to give full support to legal contact between grandparents and grandchildren.
Ends
Jimmy Deuchars
Grandparents Apart Self Help Group Scotland
22 Alness crescent
Glasgow G52 1PJ
0141 882 5658
