Postcode Lottery Leaves Carers in Poverty

Thousands of grandparents who become family carers are the victims of a postcode lottery in the allowances they receive.

A special report by The Herald reveals that in some local authorities "kinship carers" are receiving little or no money to help them, while those in other council areas receive £200 a week.

These carers are usually grandparents or other relatives who step in to look after children whose parents are unable to cope because of addiction or other health problems. They remove children from the care system, saving the taxpayer millions.

Full article Source The Herald July 2009

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Public Petitions Blog

New social media has been introduced by the Public Petitions Committee at the Scottish Parliament, as part of the petitions process. The public petitions process is a key part of the Scottish Parliament's commitment to participation, openness and accessibility. It allows individuals, community groups and organisations to raise issues of concern with the Parliament and now petitioners will be able to provide videos and photos about their petitions as part of the committee’s new blog page.

Past petitions include;

PE589 Mr George McAulay, on behalf of the UK Men's Movement.

Petition calling for the Scottish Parliament to take the necessary steps to recognise Parental Alienation Syndrome and to develop early intervention strategies to prevent parental alienation.


PE624 Ms Ann Mallaby, on behalf of the Women's Land Reform Group

Petition calling for the Scottish Parliament to take the necessary steps to introduce new legislation into matrimonial law to address the alleged violation of women's land rights and farm business in cases of divorce.


PE944 Gary Strachan

Petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to (a) investigate why there is no presumption of equal access/residence for children with both parents after separation in Scottish law; (b) investigate bias against fathers as equal parents in the Scottish Court System; (c) investigate why contact orders are not enforced and (d) investigate why parental responsibilities and rights are ignored by the medical, welfare and governmental institutions to the detriment of children


PE997 Peter Cox, on behalf of the Mothers for Justice Campaign

Petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to provide greater protection to the children and partners of abusive parents by introducing legislation to ensure that (a) where an allegation of abuse has been made against a parent, access rights are suspended pending a full investigation; (b) all previous convictions of an abusive parent are taken into account before access rights are granted; (c) all access hearings are held in open court; and (d) all sheriffs who deal with child custody cases are given appropriate training.


PE1051 Jimmy Deuchars, on behalf of Grandparents Apart Self Help Group Scotland

Petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Executive to make the Charter for Grandchildren legally binding ensuring that the rights of children are recognised by all public agencies and families, and enforced by law.


PE1247 Stewart Mackenzie

Open petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to introduce a McKenzie Friend facility in Scottish courts as a matter of urgency. (See this earlier post)

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Grandparenting Report Launched

In a report launched yesterday at Westminister the Grandparents Association, Family Matters Institute and Families Need Fathers claim grandparents are getting a raw deal under existing family law. The study Beyond the Nuclear: Including the Wider Family, says The Herald, found that 42% of grandparents lost all face-to-face contact with their grandchildren after parents separated.

In Scotland there is no automatic right for grandparents to have contact with their grandchildren but a court application can be made without leave from the court. The Scottish Government has refused to amend legislation to include any legal "presumption" of contact rights for grandparents. Although not legally binding the Grandparents' Charter in 2006 sets out the rights of grandparents.

The campaigning groups are calling for reform to the law in England and Wales so it is no longer necessary for grandparents to apply for leave of the to apply for a contact order.

Bah, humbug, I'm not in favour of grandparents having a "presumption" of contact rights . Contact is for the benefit of children, their time belongs them. Separated families struggle with contact enough as it is without the pressures of further court actions and accommodating schedules for grandparents. Parents need to be able to parent without the intervention of grandparents, who on occasion may actually fuel conflict. Whilst I do appreciate grandparents may add a dimension to a child's life, when contact time for parents is sorted it will naturally follow that children can have a relationship with grandparents.

Full story Source The Herald 19 May 2009

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Stability For Children

New laws to improve stability for young people in care and minimise upheaval as they grow up were unveiled today.

The measures will lead to better long-term planning by councils for children in care to ensure both their immediate and future needs are fully considered.

The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 Regulations and Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 - which follow extensive consultation with interest groups across Scotland - will:

* provide children in care with more certainty and stability about their long-term future with a new family through the introduction of Permanence Orders

* ensure the network of wider family and friends is considered first for care placements, if in the child's best interests

* improve the planning and reviewing of care arrangements to help reduce the number of different homes that children are placed in and ensure appropriate family support if the young person is to return to their parents

Children's Minister Adam Ingram said:

"In an ideal world there would be no need to remove any child from their birth parents but sadly that is not the reality and I am determined to ensure young people in care get the best support possible as they grow up.

"The decision to take a child into care is always made on the best interests of the young person and the numbers are increasing, suggesting those in need are being identified and agencies are intervening to get them support and security.

"Yet it is crucial that we minimise further turmoil for these young people and we don't want to see them being moved around on a series of unsettling short-term placements.

"That's why we have listened to views and are moving to ensure stability and the child's long-term needs are treated as a priority, whether that means exploring what support their parents would need for them to return or looking at the alternatives. If it is best for the child, the network of wider family and friends should also be considered first for placements.

"We're clear that outcomes for looked after young people must get better and last year we launched measures to improve their educational achievement. Yet life chances also depend on children being happy and settled with a sense of belonging which is why these regulations are so important."

Full story Source The Scottish Government 22 April 2009

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Grandparents Apart

Thanks to Arnie Saccnuson for forwarding an email from Jimmy Deuchars of Grandparents Apart UK about their demonstration held on Thursday in Glasgow's George Square. Around 20 supporters of the group were joined by councillors and former MSPs as part of a campaign calling for no child be put into care if there is scope for them to live with grandparents.

According to The Herald report protesters were told Scotland can avoid further cases like the Brandon Muir which concluded earlier this week, if social workers utilise the care on offer from wider family circles. Mr Deuchars said that social workers were guilty of alienating "at risk" and vulnerable children from their extended families by too often putting them into care as the first option. He claimed when grandparents attempt a fight for residence they are told they could lose all contact rights and he feels the best interests of the child is something that is being misused.

Jimmy Deuchars founded the support group Grandparents Apart after his daughter died and he lost access to his two grandchildren. The group took part in consultation with the Scottish Executive on proposals for the Charter for Grandchildren (pdf);-

FAMILIES ARE IMPORTANT TO CHILDREN – GRANDCHILDREN CAN EXPECT:

To be involved with, and helped to understand, decisions made about their lives.

• To be treated fairly.

• To know and maintain contact with their family (except in very exceptional circumstances) and other people who are important to them.

• To know that their grandparents still love them, even if they are not able to see them at the present time.

• To know their family history.

• The adults in their lives to put their needs first and to protect them from disputes between adults – not to use them as weapons in quarrels.

• Social workers, when making assessments about their lives, to take into account the loving and supporting role grandparents can play in their lives.

• The courts, when making decisions about their lives, to take into account the loving and supporting role grandparents can play in their lives.

• Lawyers and other advisers, to encourage relationship counselling or mediation when adults seek advice on matters affecting them and their children.

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