Welcome.


Hi everyone and welcome to Bristol Grandparents Support Group blog. Although we are Bristol based we have grandparents from all over the UK and beyond as members.

It is estimated that over one million children in the UK are denied contact with their grandparents due to family breakdown which may have been caused by divorce/separation, alcohol/drug dependency,domestic violence,bereavement or family feud.
Every child has the right to have contact with their grandparents
if they wish and unless proven unsafe for them to do so. To deny contact from a parent or grandparent has to become as socially unacceptable as drink driving.
I hope to keep you up to date with what is going on in BGSG and I shall continue to campaign for the rights of children to have a loving and meaningful relationship with both parents and their extended family. So please join in as good to hear your views, not just mine!
I also will support via Skype.
There is no membership fee to be part of Bristol Grandparents Support Group.
Esther Rantzen says, " To every grandparent, links of love can never be broken in our hearts."

Please contact during office hours.
07773258270


Saturday 25 February 2012

You ARE the EXPERTS.

There has been huge interest in setting up of local groups, if you are thinking "I could do that." Get in touch.
If you hear people say things like,"You need training it needs to be an expert," don't let it put you off.
As far as being an expert is concerned, we ARE the experts, because we are going through this heartbreaking situation. We are the ones who know exactly how others are feeling, that is not something that can be taught, you just know.
Most people have the capacity to listen, to be non-judgemental and to empathise.
Support can be done over the phone or email, you don't have to hold meetings.
I was asked about how to run a meeting.
As I have written on the website, the group needs to be run by its members, ask them in what direction they want to go in, what they want out of the group. They need to be informal, non-threating just like minded people getting together,sharing their stories and supporting each other.
Of course when you are talking to someone, you only hear one side of the story, but you have to take them at face value, we are not in the blame-game.
There are of course some do's & don'ts .

: Never give out any details, names, contact details to anyone. Without their permission.
: Never talk to media about a situation that may well be going through legal proceedings.
: Never use your grandchildren's names to media etc.
: Never give out photos of grandchildren to media.
: Anything that is said to you is confidential, if you have meetings start by saying that anything that is said within that meeting is also confidential.
: Do produce cake at meeting!!!!!!!
It is a SUPPORT group, nothing more nothing less.
As I keep harping back to is, when a grandparent rings (which in itself is the most difficult step) they all say, "thank goodness, I thought I was the only one."
So give it thought, and ask me if you think it is something you would like to do.
Jane

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