Is there consistency across UK ?

There are a variety of reasons why a grandparent looses contact with their grandchildren, one reason can be as a result of a parent having alcohol or drug dependancy.
This is often not discussed, why should that be?
 Grandparents  find themselves having to not only support their son/daughter who is a drug user but to also attempt to  protect their grandchildren from this unpredictable environment they are living in.
In some cases a grandparent may have a residence order and may well have had their grandchild living with them for a number of years, when the parent, who has Parental Responsibility, decides that they want the child back with them, the child is taken from a stable home to an uncertain future.
If that isn't distressing enough, I am told that when a grandparent has dealings with some social workers, that they are treated, and I quote, "as a second class citizen."
They are told that going to court for a contact order is advisable, but as has been pointed out to me, the adult child who is drug dependent is never going to adhere to an order.
The grandparents only concern is for the child and their welfare.
 Children living in this how can they be best supported?
 I would have thought that the grandparents and extended family have such an important role to play here.
A consultation meeting I attended last year discussed this very subject, and it seemed that things were going to improve in this area. With consistency across social services across the UK, that the importance of grandparents would always be paramount , from what I keep hearing that improvement in reality is not happening.
There is no consistency. Haven't we heard this before?
Jane
www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk