Grandchildrens' Rights.

I received this email today, and was asked to post it so here it is:

"Hi Ms Jackson

 

I’ve been trying to add to your bristolparents blogs but it doesn’t want to accept me.

 

I’ve recently been successful in being able to see my 3 year old granddaughter again after 14 months silence from her parents. I went to court for a contact order which I won.

 

The point is I didn’t approach my request as a right of mine to see Hannah, but as a right of Hannah to see me.

 

Because of this approach Cafcass supported me from the outset. They said my daughter’s behaviour was “utterly unacceptable”; they stressed to the judge that I was pushing for Hannah’s rights, not mine; and now  she gets to see me and play and get to know me once every three months. Not a lot but owt’s better than nowt.

 

It might be an approach that abandoned grandparents in general should adopt. The child’s rights in these situations are paramount and courts are much more likely, I think, to accept this view and settle in favour of the grandparents.

 

I was going to blog this at some length. Perhaps you might do so for me?

 

Best regards

 

Allan Friswell"

As you will know Bristol Grandparents Support Group have always said this is not the rights of grandparents but the rights of the children, as stated on our website.