The Charter for Grandchildren was considered by the Scottish Justice 1 Committee 2nd October 2007

Oct. 4, 2007 - PRLog -- Although it was obvious the committee members were very sympathetic to the problem their power was not sufficient enough to make it legal and they would need to refer it to the Scottish Government. The committee did give us assurances that more power would be put behind it even if it was not made legal.

It is a huge concern that children who are in drug and alcohol homes with no one to look out for them if their parent/ parents or whatever is lying with needles sticking out of their arms or lying on the living room floor out for the count because of booze. These children are in danger if they try to make their own tea if indeed they have anything to cook. The selfish nature of drug and alcohol addicts is grossly underestimated. Drugs or alcohol comes first and the deviousness in getting their fix is amazing. Every thing is cut to the bone and eventually the bone has nothing. Where do the children go from here? Starvation, money used for the addiction. The same clothes unwashed day in and day out. All their toys and possessions sold to fund the addiction. They are encouraged to steal. Begging off neighbours for food or raking the middens like in the NSPCC advert. Children are even sold for sex and given drugs to make them cooperative.

Grandparents having the legal right of contact of only a couple of hours a month with the right to communication with their grandchildren by phone, text, email, cards and prezzies at special times would provide a much needed helpline. This meagre contact could prevent a lot of children suffering in this way which affects their future and the future of society if all they know is drugs or booze.
Children’s organisations say the can only cope with half of the calls they get.

THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT MUST ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. This problem exists and doing nothing, as it seems at present is negligent. One solution is to bring back a health visitor like the Green Lady. Someone with the power of early detection rather that wait until the child/ren are so badly damaged that they are the drug and alcohol, criminal and health statistics of the future that cost the public purse a fortune. The expense of this in comparison to contact rights for grandchildren with their grandparents cannot be compared.

Ends

# # #

Grandparents Apart Self Help Group sSotland is a group dedicated to the welfare of grandchildren and offering a support group to grandparents.

Website: www.grandparentsapart.co.uk