Cheers for grandparents group

Added: (Sun Mar 26 2006)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Press release immediate 26th March 2006 21.30pm

Pat on the back for Grandparents Groups.

Grandparents Apart Self Help Groups all deserve a pat on the back.

When we started our support groups, grandparents were regarded as irrelevant persons, shut out by governments, social services, and professionals across the board that dealt with children. Because of this lack of respect by authorities grandparents have easily been cast aside by families, aided and abetted by the thoughtless family laws of that time.

Now we are proud to say that the profile of grandparents have been raised tremendously. In the five years of our existence we have been highlighting the asset that grandparents are to the family. We would like to think we had a big hand in the current improvements with all the hard work our groups have put into it. There hasn't been a week without us highlighting the case that grandparents are an essential part of a child's life. We have attended loads of meetings with The Scottish Executive, putting our case that children need us in their lives.

Our groups were invited to consult with the Scottish Executive on the proposals for the new Family Law Act (2006), the accompanying �Parenting Agreement� to help separating couples and the �Charter for Grandchildren� to help adults think of what matters to their children. Both contain a lot of our proposals, which were based on common sense and experience.

It has just been announced that the Scottish Executive will now give grandparents a grant for looking after their grandchildren in this day of drug abuse rather than take them into care.

We think it is a tremendous boost that grandparents will now be restored to the rightful respect they used to have and lost because of The Children�s Act 1989 and following Scottish Acts.

The Family Law Act 2006 will come into force in April or early May with the accompanying Parenting Agreement and Charter for Grandchildren coming into use at the same time.

The Family Law Bill with the accompanying agreement and charter will be made law in April or early May this year and will be available on our website www.grandparentsapart.co.uk or on the Scottish Executives website.

Ends

For further information contact;-
Jimmy Deuchars 0141 882 5658
June Loudoun 01560 332 937
Carol Wilson 01241 437 199
Grandparents Apart Self Help Groups
22 Alness Crescent, Glasgow G52 1PJ
e-mail james@grandparents.fsnet.co.uk
website;- www.grandparentsapart.co.uk