Of 211 grandparents who were questioned on behalf of Families Need Fathers and the Grandparents' Association, 55 per cent said that, prior to the parents separating, they were directly involved in their grandchildren's care. However, two-thirds said that they were prevented from caring for their grandchildren following a family breakdown.
Campaigners for grandparents' rights gathered in Westminster last Monday for the launch of the research, and met with MPs including Stuart Jackson, shadow minister for Communities and Local Government, and Susan Kramer, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston.
Television presenter Gloria Hunniford introduced the report, Beyond the Nuclear: Including the Wider Family. She said, 'This report highlights the tragic reality of what happens when children lose out on a relationship with grandparents after the separation of their parents. It shows the need for Government to address the importance of grandparents in future policy and legislation.'
Under the Children Act 1989, any adult who has lived as part of a family for three years has an automatic right to apply for contact with the children, including step-parents. However, the right was not extended to grandparents, who have to ask a court for permission before they can apply for contact. Many grandparents say this process is too stressful and expensive, and the campaigners want the law to be changed.
A spokesperson for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said, 'Government acknowledges that grandparents often play an important role in childcare and support for parents, particularly during those all-important early years, which is why in this year's Budget, provision was made for grandparents, of working age with childcare responsibilities, to claim Working Tax Credits.
'Experience drawn out through consultation around the Children Act in 2007 suggests that grandparents would not usually experience difficulty in obtaining permission where their application for contact with their grandchild is motivated by a genuine concern for the child. Therefore we do not feel that a change in the law is necessary or appropriate.'
The research is available at www.fnf.org.uk.
