I received a letter from my MP (happens to be a Sir) and I sent it right back to him, requesting action, after all they speak louder than words!

I shared this campaign and the heartbreaking experiences of grandparents, children feeling abandoned, grandparents being accessed of harassment and cautioned for sending loving gifts etc, etc. Also, the fact that in 2018, Parliament backed a change, and the then Justice Minister even acknowledged a possible change will be considered in law.  However, nothing has changed and both safe loving grandparents and grandchildren continue to suffer! 

This is what I got from Mr Sir, MP, and I wished to share it with you, tell me what you think?

The issue of grandparents access to grandchildren where the parents of the child have divorced or separated is a very very worrying one and sadly I get constituents from time to time who have been prevented from seeing their grandchildren, often by a mother who uses the grandchildren as a way of punishing the father and his parents. 

Often a sensible compromise can be reached and indeed if the father has rights to see the child then often the grandparents can visit at the same time. You will not need me to tell you that the Family Courts can often make decisions which are for the best possible reasons in terms of protecting the child, but that can have repercussions on the grandparents.

For example, there may be a case where the father has been abusive or violet to the mother and therefore has no rights to see the children and because of that the grandparents have no access either.  In these cases of course the protection of the child is first and foremost in the Family Court’s mind and it is important that where we are dealing with violent or abusive men that full protections are in place.

Certainly when I speak to grandparents I pass their concerns on to Ministers and I appreciate that your campaign, which has been on-going for over 30 years, is one which I hope will bear some fruit.

AM I MISSING SOMETHING? Like some action, after all he acknowledges it clearly is a sad and VERY VERY (not one very) worrying situation. I find this kind of response irresponsible, to know something is wrong and then not to act on it, and if I sound annoyed, that is because I am. I am also talking about where it is SAFE and do not need a lecture on this. What about the best interest of the child? Are they not caught up in this space, one day they have grandma/pa, then nothing? What are they told? 

Let's all become so annoyed and uncomfortable that we act now, on something that is in plain sight. These issues are impacting generations as I type and will continue in the future and MP's have a role to play. Please write to yours and share this campaign, they need to ask the Justice Minister and Education Minister for change in the Children Act 1989.

Grandparents are being treated as second class citizens and we should be treated not inferior to parents. They should be written into the Children Act 1989 and this is in the best interest of the child. 

Please keep signing and sharing this petition and if you need support and/or wish to share your story as we gather the campaign, do email me at jsa@jasvindersanghera.com