Thanks for your 23rd April e-mail.
Please accept my apologies for the delay in my response - I am backlogged with work.
You conclude by stating "I was approached on the 29th January this year by a researcher from the Assembly’s Research Department a Sarah Hatherley requesting my views on a “Charter for Children”.
See Sarah's response below and attached.
Does Janet have everything in hand at Local Authority level?
I will now pursue the Deputy Minister for Social Services and get back to you.
Best wishes
Mark
From: Hatherley, Sarah (APS MRS) [mailto:Sarah.Hatherley@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK] Sent: 13 February 2009 15:46To: Isherwood, Mark (Assembly Member); Jones, Toby (AM Support Staff, Mark Isherwood)Subject: FW: MRS090228 Charter for Grandchildren
Dear Mark/ Toby,
Following on from my response below to your enquiry on a Charter for Grandchildren, I have received the following response from the office of the Deputy Minister for Social Services:
Although our Minister has not had any specific discussions on a Charter for Grandchildren /Grandparents, we recognise that Grandparents play a significant role in the lives of children and young people. As well as being recognised in the Parenting Action Plan this is also highlighted within the Assembly Government’s Strategy for Older People.
The Parenting Action Plan which was issued under the policy portfolio of the Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning and skills in December 2005, highlighted the role of Grandparents under Chapter 4 – Promoting Positive Parenting (see paragraphs 4.9 - 4.12).The action to develop from this was ‘Action 3’ as stated below:
“We will set up a Working Group in the Autumn 2005 to consider the Beth Johnson Foundation report on grandparents in Wales and propose an outline Programme of Action for the Assembly Government, statutory authorities and the voluntary sector, including the sharing of good practice and approaches. Subsequent actions will be built into the third year of the Parenting Action Plan (2007-08), linked with Phase Two of the Strategy for Older People”.
There are still some issues that are ongoing from the work on Grandparenting and the recommendations of the Working Group on Grandparenting. A summary of the actions are as follows:
Recommendation for a survey to be undertaken of the use made by local authorities of family and friends care, and of the arrangements in place to provide financial support. This is being pursued through the Children and Young Person Act 2008 that proposes to provide a framework for family and friend’s care.
Guidance to local authorities clarifying the use of family and friends care, to ensure compliance with the statutory requirements and to ensure parity of treatment, will link into the work pursued by the Children and Young Persons Act 2008.
Recommendation that the use of the Toolkit produced by the Family Rights Group be used. The Assembly government has funded production of a Welsh language version of the Family Rights Book and toolkit that is due to be published in March 2009.
Recognition of the role of grandparents in supporting parents is included in guidance on the role of intergenerational approaches in strengthening the family being developed and planned to issue in December 2009".
I have attached a copy of the Parenting Action Plan and Strategy for Older Strategy for your information.
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You might also be interested in the evidence to the Children and Young People's Committee of the National Assembly of Wales in relation to the Parenting Action Plan: http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees-third1/bus-committees-third-cyp-home/bus-committees-third-cyp-inquiry/cyp-pap.htm
Best wishes
Sarah
______________________________________________ From: Hatherley, Sarah (APS MRS) Sent: 30 January 2009 09:46 To: 'Mark.Isherwood@wales.gov.uk'; 'jones.toby@wales.gov.uk' Subject: MRS090228 Charter for Grandchildren
Dear Mark/ Toby You asked whether Wales (or Wales and England) has an equivalent of the Scottish Government’s ‘Charter for Grandchildren’ – or what consideration has been given to one?
It is my understanding that the ‘Charter for Grandchildren’, which was published in 2006, applies to Scotland only. There is currently no equivalent document for Wales (or Wales and England). It was created in Scotland to accompany the Family Law Bill (Scotland) 2006 as advisory only and is not legally binding. The Charter was designed to remind parents, professionals, children and grandparents of the important role that grandparents and the wider family can play in a child's life, and how the wider family can be a source of support and stability in difficult times. You can view the document using the link below: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/04/21143655/2
I have contacted Grandparents Apart Self Help Group, (who have been actively involved in promoting the Charter for Grandchildren in Scotland and at a UK level) to ask them whether they have been involved in discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government regarding an equivalent document for Wales. I can confirm that they have not.
You might be interested to know that Grandparents Apart Self Help Group have called on the Scottish Parliament to make the Charter for Grandchildren legally binding. The following briefing provides background information on the Petition and the Scottish Executive's response and can be accessed using the link below: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/petitionBriefings/pb-07/PB07-1051.pdf
The group has recently presented a new proposal to the Scottish Executive to make the Charter mandatory for professionals dealing with children. Further information can be found on the Grandparent's Apart website using following link: http://www.grandparentsapart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&p10
The following article, 'Grandparents' rights and grandparents' campaigns', published in the Child and Family Law Quarterly might also be of interest to you. I have attached a copy of this article for your information below.
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Best wishes, Sarah Sarah Hatherley Members' Research Service /Gwasanaeth Ymchwil yr Aelodau National Assembly for Wales/Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru 029 2089 8447 The Members' Research Service is independent of the Welsh Assembly Government and provides confidential and impartial research support to the Assembly's committees and to individual Assembly Members.
Mae Gwasanaeth Ymchwil yr Aelodau yn cefnogi Pwyllgorau'r Cynulliad ac Aelodau'r Cynulliad wrth ddarparu gwasanaeth ymchwil cyfrinachol a di-duedd, sy'n annibynnol o Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru.
Visit the Members’ Research Service internet page Cliciwch yma i weld tudalen rhyngrwyd Gwasanaeth Ymchwil yr Aelodau
Visit the Assembly Business Notice Cliciwch yma i weld Hysbysiad Busnes y Cynulliad
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