Parents Against Injustice

GRANDPARENTS APART WALES

‘Grandparents Apart Wales’

Grandparents Apart Wales would like to thank you all for your tremendous support regarding the threat to myself and the web site by the Legal Department of the Borough of Conwy.

I can tell you the legal action threatened is for a story regarding a little girl named Emma which was on our web site and who the Social Services think they have
identified as a girl who is the subject of a care order taken out by the
Children Services on February last.

In fact they state this was brought to the attention of the court by a party involved in these proceedings.

We have no idea nor had any knowledge of these proceedings but obviously somebody does.

“I am going to write and advise the Legal Department that I am aware of the story they refer to but will not comment on it except to say that the story has been previously reported in the National
Press and has been included in at least one published book prior to any court
action the Social Services contemplated or in fact took.

I am sure the legalities of all concerned were taken into consideration before the articles were printed and those works of literature were deemed at the time to be in the public interest
and written before the story of Emma appeared on our web site.”

The story of Emma has been removed and all associated stories with it but the question is this story protected Emma from further harm and bad decisions by the authorities, so who now benefits by
the removal of the story.

To clarify my thinking would you have known about Emma without reading this. I presume not therefore the law is wrong in protecting whoever it is but surely in this case it isn’t the
child.

We in Wales are envious of the Charter for Grandchildren which is on the Scottish Government
Statute Books however we have petitioned the National Assembly of Wales for
similar and are hopeful for success.

The petition was considered by the Petitions Committee last September 2009 and is still being considered at quarterly intervals but is at the moment waiting on
the findings of the Family Justice Review Panel’s “Call for Evidence” which
finishes this September 2010

We in Wales feel that this panel which also affects England must be
contacted by everyone who has something to say about Family Law or the
Children’s Act 1989 so that changes can be made to suit the requirements of
families living in the 21^st century.

We have many concerns with the Family Law at present and say that it is not fit for purpose as it does not address the needs of children who are denied access to
the ones they love or prevents their emotional abuse by the resident
parent.

Children’s Agencies are not trained to detect the many aspects of abuse and still rely on the tick box mentality of the Case Worker.

There was a study in the University of Western Australia that
proved in all cases of abuse except one the main abusers were woman a fact I
wouldn’t have believed. The point I am making is simply everything is not always
what it appears.

Again my sincere thanks for your support. Frank Bradfield, Grandparents Apart Wales,
14 Amalfi Court,

Craig-y-Don Parade, Llandudno, Conwy. LL30 1BH. 01492 874395

We would further appreciate your views on The Charter for Grandchildren which was created by a Scottish Government with our input for the
best interests of children. Accepted by
Glasgow City Chambers and is in the process of being implemented throughout the
council services and the whole of Scotland and
EVENTUALLY the UK.