Current Petitions

PE1051, by Jimmy Deuchars, on behalf of Grandparents Apart Self Help Group Scotland, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Government to make the charter for grandchildren legally binding, ensuring that the rights of children are recognised by all public agencies and families, and enforced by law.Do members have any suggestions about how we can deal with the petition?

I have a lot of sympathy with the petition, but the issues that it raises were considered when Parliament passed the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006. The Minister for Children and Early Years made a commitment to family group conferencing for children in difficult circumstances: that would involve grandparents. The child can initiate family group conferencing, which puts the onus back onto the child to ask for what they need.We should close the petition because we should not look to enshrine in law something that might not always be in the best interests of the child, such as in cases where there is domestic abuse or where the child might be in danger. Although I understand the frustration of grandparents who feel that they are being separated from their grandchildren maliciously, for want of a better word, we must be careful that we do not push for something that creates more problems than it solves.

Do you recommend that we close the petition?

Yes.

Does the committee accept that recommendation?Members indicated agreement.