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Child abuse. Grandparent�s prevention is better than cure.
Added: (Thu Jun 07 2007)
Press release. Immediate. 7th June 2007
The last Scottish Executive and our group as part of a Stakeholders Group on family law produced the �The Charter for Grandchildren� although it is advisory only at the moment it is a first step in the right direction. Now we are lobbying to have the Charter made legal giving the legal right of contact to children with their grandparents which in our way of thinking is the same as grandparents having the rights. The last Scottish Executive saw fit to have the charter and our input is the main content. So we are going with the flow rather than against it. The aim now is to have the whole of the UK recognise the Charter.
Meanwhile, the guidelines in our book �Grandparents Speak out for Vulnerable Children� have eased the situation quite a bit and have helped lots of grandparents back into their grandchildren�s lives.
We have been attending the National Pensioners Parliament in Blackpool and Scottish National Pensioners conferences Edinburgh to gain support and we have done very well. The Townswomen Guild with 40,000 members in the UK has taken up our cause this year to raise awareness of the unfair family laws and the need for grandparents/grandchildren legal contact.
NSPCC admit they cannot cope with the increase in cases of abuse. Social services despite having over 5000 social workers in Scotland and loads more in training cannot cope according to the Daily Mail 29th May 2007 [quote] �Huge army of social workers tops 5,000�.
The NSPCC and social work can only act after the abuse, grandparents could provide the protection to prevent, or stop the abuse at an earlier stage. Respect for others and good behaviour education comes from a child�s upbringing taught in the family. Social services or NSPCC cannot possibly fill this gap. Grandparents could, if only they had the legal right to do so with the help of family mediation and be accepted as relevant persons in their grandchildren�s lives.
Grandparents Apart Self Help Group Scotland does not want to intrude into anyone�s lives but the way our children are treated determines how they behave in society, it really affects us all whether we have children or not. Please take a moment to support grandparents/grandchildren having the legal right of contact for children�s protection and education in respect for others which is best taught in the early years of family life.
Ends
Grandparents Apart Self Help Group Scotland.
22 Alness Crescent
Glasgow G52 1PJ
0141 882 5658
http://www.grandparentsapart.co.uk
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