We inquired around and found that a lot of grandparents were in the same situation as us so we thought of setting up a group to support grandparents by guiding them through the process and supplying information which they would not get anywhere else. Our group grew and grew. We have thousands of calls to our helpline and have helped some grannies who were contemplating suicide. (82% of real and psychosomatic illness in older people is caused by separation and loneliness. Prof Peter Smith, Goldsmith College Oxford)
Our group has campaigned very heavily to have grandparents recognised more in their grandchildren’
We have a small caravan ready and waiting to be used as a Mobile Family Information and Education Centre at shopping centres and the like, starting as soon as funds permit.
Two of our group were been invited by the Scottish Government to take part in a Stakeholders Group for the new Scottish Family Law Bill 2006 where we were instrumental in the creation of the Charter for Grandchildren, and the parenting agreement but alas it was for guidance only and we were disappointed that our MSP was defeated to having it in the bill in by order of the then Labour Government.
We have now been invited once again by the SNP Scottish Government to take part in 8 sessions in Focus groups in ‘Making Contact Work’.
All the governments of the UK claim family laws are fair and just and refuse to give grandparents any rights to their grandchildren. The children’s organisations Childline and (NSPCC) said they can only handle half of the distress calls they get from children, Children1st are asking the government to give grandparents the right to information regarding their grandchildren’
If the law is fair and just as the government states then why are there thousands upon thousands of grandparents, fathers, mothers, children’s and other groups crying injustice.
We then thought of the administration of the law, the interpreters, are they 100% working for the best interests of the children? Our group ran a questionnaire (Grandparents Apart)
sending out 500 to our members and the results that came back was clear that they were less than perfect in practice. It is felt that the professionals are using the best interest principle of the child to their own benefit. An investigation and monitoring of these services is urgently needed.
Immigrants to this country are stunned by the lack of respect for the family unit and if they have problems themselves there is very little information or advice for them to access. As they settle in and grow older they will become grandparents as well. It must be confusing enough relocating to a strange country then coming up against family injustice where the pattern for social services appears to be snatch the children alienate them from their families then adopt them without consent and to make sure there are plenty of adopters they have created a new supply by using gay and single people. All to get children adopted to obtain their huge bonuses for turnover.
Non-resident parents are told they have rights to their children but in practice if they are separated then only the resident parent has all the rights the non-resident still retains their responsibilities but lose their rights and often the children are used as weapons for revenge and blackmail.
Join us or please or give a donation by credit card or cheque via our website below to help us protect ‘The Forgotten Children’ You will feel better that you are helping Children live in a better world.
Ends
contact
Jimmy Deuchars
Grandparents Apart Self Help Group Scotland
22 Alness Crescent
Glasgow G52 1PJ
0141 8825658
http://www.grandparentsapart.co.uk
