http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/output/2009/03/25/story12828010t0.shtm
Grandparents from across Scotland gathered outside the Apex Hotel in Dundee today to demand better rights, and urged social workers to listen to their concerns (writes Kirsten Johnson).
The protest took place as delegates from the Association of Directors of Social Work met in the hotel for a one-day conference to discuss developing a workforce fit for purpose.
The current president of ADSW is Dundee City Council’s social work director, Alan Baird, who recently fended off a resignation call over his department’s handling of the Brandon Muir case.
Jimmy Deuchars, from pressure group Grand-parent Apart UK, led the demonstration.
He told the Tele he hoped the lobby would make those at the meeting listen to the group’s plea.
“Grandparents are at the bottom of the list when it comes to rights, but we are the ones who can notice the first warning signs. We deserve to see our grand-children, and they deserve to see us.
At the moment the Charter For Grandparents is only advisory. We want it to be mandatory — it will save children’s lives.”
Brian McNair, chairman of the Equal Parenting Alliance, also attended the demonstration. He said, “I hope the social workers, especially Alan Baird, take note. You have to be seen to be heard nowadays. We hope this brings our message into the public eye.
“We are questioning the integrity of some social workers across the country. They often do not record meetings they have with grandparents. This is not right. “If grandparents are in contact with their grandchildren they can see the signs of abuse, but the social services class them as irrelevant.”
CHALLENGES
During the conference the delegates, representing each local authority area in Scotland, considered the challenges within workforce development. BT’s group human resources director
Alex Wilson gave a keynote speech outlining how the company addressed workforce issues and shared knowledge and experience of developing good practice.
There were also presentations given on the place of the Continuous Learning Framework in organisational develop-ment and the use of Social Services Knowledge Scotland, an online knowledge service for social services staff and their managers.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Reaction to our demo from Dundee police.
I filled in the form on Tayside Police website and on Thursday or Friday a lady contacted me. Asked her questions and wished us well. So on that stregnth we confirmed our booking at the hotel adding one more.
On Sunday afternoon a policeman came on from the Dundee Police sounding quite miffed as he thought we had not contacted them, he said "what is this." I explained I had spoken to a lady from the police station and he mellowed somewhat. He went on to say we would be on private Port Authority land and we would need to get permission. Then I said we would go to the nearest point out of the Port land and he said there were no pavements for us and the Harbour Gate would be the only place.
We have emailed the Dundee Port Manager which the policeman said did not exist. Mr Matt North of the Dundee Port Authority phoned us first thing and explained, that land does not belong to them and that the Dundee council have adopted it. And emailed confirmation to that effect.
In Glasgow we contacted the Glasgow Police, they spoke to us asked all the questions how many etc then wished us well just like the police lady from Dundee did on the first instance. The demo in Glasgow went off with no problem and gave us tremendous media coverage.
Today the demo in Dundee went off well. The police did have a presence of 2 plain clothes and a van recording us all the time. The Community Inspector had a word with me and we assured him we were on a peaceful demonmstration and he was very courteous and accepted us. The demo went off very well with coverage from GMTV, STV, Radio Taymouth i think it was, and other local newspapers and radios which i forgot in the confusion of it all. We have to thank them all for their kindness and coverage.
On Sunday afternoon a policeman came on from the Dundee Police sounding quite miffed as he thought we had not contacted them, he said "what is this." I explained I had spoken to a lady from the police station and he mellowed somewhat. He went on to say we would be on private Port Authority land and we would need to get permission. Then I said we would go to the nearest point out of the Port land and he said there were no pavements for us and the Harbour Gate would be the only place.
We have emailed the Dundee Port Manager which the policeman said did not exist. Mr Matt North of the Dundee Port Authority phoned us first thing and explained, that land does not belong to them and that the Dundee council have adopted it. And emailed confirmation to that effect.
In Glasgow we contacted the Glasgow Police, they spoke to us asked all the questions how many etc then wished us well just like the police lady from Dundee did on the first instance. The demo in Glasgow went off with no problem and gave us tremendous media coverage.
Today the demo in Dundee went off well. The police did have a presence of 2 plain clothes and a van recording us all the time. The Community Inspector had a word with me and we assured him we were on a peaceful demonmstration and he was very courteous and accepted us. The demo went off very well with coverage from GMTV, STV, Radio Taymouth i think it was, and other local newspapers and radios which i forgot in the confusion of it all. We have to thank them all for their kindness and coverage.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Success of our last demo.
Grandparents Apart UK
Just as we successfully with pride and dignity protested in Glasgow on 4th March 2009.We will again make our presence known at this event by means of another demonstration. We can not let this opportunity go ahead without our input being taken into consideration.
ALL of our Directors of Social Services will be present for this one meeting at a very exclusive venue.
Will your voices be heard?
Will your concerns be listened to?
Join us at Grandparents Apart UK who stand against wrongful decision making by these Directors who are paid for by the public for the decision making with the public's children.
The Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW)will be holding a one-day seminar onWednesday, 25th March 2009 at the Apex City Quay Hotel in Dundee.
The purpose of this event is to:
• Consider and debate the inherent challenges in workforce development
• Share knowledge and experience of developing good practice
• Promote the roles of strategic and operational managers in driving forward the workforcedevelopment agenda
As workforce development is a vital function at all organisational levels, the seminar will be of particularrelevance to frontline, middle and senior managers. Staffing and HR Professionals.
For more information and contact details please download the
Just as we successfully with pride and dignity protested in Glasgow on 4th March 2009.We will again make our presence known at this event by means of another demonstration. We can not let this opportunity go ahead without our input being taken into consideration.
ALL of our Directors of Social Services will be present for this one meeting at a very exclusive venue.
Will your voices be heard?
Will your concerns be listened to?
Join us at Grandparents Apart UK who stand against wrongful decision making by these Directors who are paid for by the public for the decision making with the public's children.
The Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW)will be holding a one-day seminar onWednesday, 25th March 2009 at the Apex City Quay Hotel in Dundee.
The purpose of this event is to:
• Consider and debate the inherent challenges in workforce development
• Share knowledge and experience of developing good practice
• Promote the roles of strategic and operational managers in driving forward the workforcedevelopment agenda
As workforce development is a vital function at all organisational levels, the seminar will be of particularrelevance to frontline, middle and senior managers. Staffing and HR Professionals.
For more information and contact details please download the
Dundee rally. What we want to happen.
What must be for our children’s best interest?
1.... ‘Charter for Grandchildren’ to be Mandatory for professionals working in
Children’s welfare.
2.... Equal parenting when there is no valid reason not to.
3.... Stop treating children as commodities like a business deal
4.... If adopted, child contact maintained with birth family.
5 ....Kinship care before strangers.
6. ...All below accountable to law.
a)-- False accusations.
b)--Erroneous reporting by social workers
c)--Flouting of court orders.
d)-Orchestrating “cover up’s”, when children are failed.
7. ..Proper recording of all social work meetings and discussions E.g. Dual tape
recording similar to police proceedings
8… More “transparency” and especially “accountability” for Social work and
their managers
9. ..Specialised training for social workers in the best interests of children.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
SSCUP for grandparents.
Grandparents Apart and the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
At the Grandparents Apart Uk Rally held in George Square, Glasgow, on 24th March 2009 I John Swinburne leader of the SSCUP pledged 100% support from the SSCUP and I stated that the aims of Grandparents Apart UK would be vigorously pursued by all SSCUP -MSP who were returned after the 2011 elections
The importance of grandparents having full access to be able to enjoy stable relationships with their own grandchildren must be recognised and written into law.
The 2011 manifesto of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party will fully endorse this issue.
John Swinburne
Founder and Leader of the SSCUP
At the Grandparents Apart Uk Rally held in George Square, Glasgow, on 24th March 2009 I John Swinburne leader of the SSCUP pledged 100% support from the SSCUP and I stated that the aims of Grandparents Apart UK would be vigorously pursued by all SSCUP -MSP who were returned after the 2011 elections
The importance of grandparents having full access to be able to enjoy stable relationships with their own grandchildren must be recognised and written into law.
The 2011 manifesto of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party will fully endorse this issue.
John Swinburne
Founder and Leader of the SSCUP
Monday, March 16, 2009
Demo in Dundee
Grandparents Apart UK
will be there to protest like we did in Glasgow on 4th March 2009.We cannot let this go unchallenged when we have all the directors of social services at one venue.
will be there to protest like we did in Glasgow on 4th March 2009.We cannot let this go unchallenged when we have all the directors of social services at one venue.
Will you join us?
The Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW)will be holding a one-day seminar onWednesday, 25th March 2009 at the Apex City Quay Hotel in Dundee.Only the best will do. Luxury is no problem.
The purpose of this event is to:
• Consider and debate the inherent challenges in workforce development
• Share knowledge and experience of developing good practice
• Promote the roles of strategic and operational managers in driving forward the workforcedevelopment agenda
As workforce development is a vital function at all organisational levels, the seminar will be of particularrelevance to frontline, middle and senior managers. Staffing and HR Professionals.
For more information and contact details please download the
The Key elements of the Lamming report
At least 200,000 children live in households with a high risk of abuse.
1. Firstly we need a family law that is fair and just.
2. Equal Parenting needs to be the norm where dads as well as mums, even if they live apart
have a say in bringing up children.
3. Parental alienation needs to be frowned upon by everyone and incur heavy penalties.
4. The Charter for Grandchildren needs to be mandatory for professionals working in
children’s welfare to ensure children do not lose out on the benefits grandparents can offer.
5. Mediation should be promoted more to prevent molehills becoming mountain.
6. Social services need to be more open and truthful and answerable to the law if not.
7. Accusations not proven should be removed from records.
8. False accusations should be punishable by law.
9. All meeting to be recorded to eliminate inaccuracies.
10. Using children for revenge or blackmail should be punishable by law.
Social workers trying to protect them (children) feel demoralised and unsupported.
1. Social workers have too big a case load and are making too many mistakes to reach their targets.
2. Better education and better liasion with senior management who appear to be naïve of what happens on the shop floor.
3. The welfare of children is run like a business ‘cost befor care’ and this very cold attitude is not in the best interests of childre.
In many areas they spend too much time on inadequate IT systems and too little time seeing children.
1. On the job experiences cannot be beaten.
2. Seeing the trauma of young children indistressshould be enough to soften even the hardest hear. but when it is the case of rush in with twenty armed policemen to snatch 8 children nobody care about the didtress of the child.
New recruits deal with complex cases without adequate training and supervision.
1. I know someone who had a friend that trained as a social worker but died within 6 months and is was claimed lack of training and stress was a big part of his death.
Police child protection teams are under-resourced and have low status.
What this really means, we do not know. The last paragraph explains how they go about it. I have it from a granny that had full PRRs over her grandson but the police waded in and bodily dragged the 14 year old back to his mother on her say so. Methinks the police are well qualified.
It can take 45 weeks to bring a child protection case to court.
An absolute scandal! That amount of time destroys a childs stability, identity and the will to be a human being . Having to suffer being told your family does not want you any more just to prepare them for adoption.
The government should provide child protection training for council leaders and senior managers.
Of coarse, that is the main problem, the higher staff havn’t a clue what goes on with their social workers. I have a nice letter from Edinburgh Council; explaining their policy. It is nothing like what happens in practice.
Social workers' employers should face disciplinary action over child protection failures.
Aggreed. Social workers should face the law for falcifaction of records but so should the directors for neglect of duty.
A national agency should be set up to oversee the swift and effective implementation of these recommendations.
More money being thrown in the wrong place. The governmennt is admitting here it cannot cope with it’s own organisations. Order them to do the job right or face the consequences of losing their job or prosecution. That will make them sit up and take notice. Listen to the people when they are crying out to you for justice or is that dropping your standards too far.
1. Firstly we need a family law that is fair and just.
2. Equal Parenting needs to be the norm where dads as well as mums, even if they live apart
have a say in bringing up children.
3. Parental alienation needs to be frowned upon by everyone and incur heavy penalties.
4. The Charter for Grandchildren needs to be mandatory for professionals working in
children’s welfare to ensure children do not lose out on the benefits grandparents can offer.
5. Mediation should be promoted more to prevent molehills becoming mountain.
6. Social services need to be more open and truthful and answerable to the law if not.
7. Accusations not proven should be removed from records.
8. False accusations should be punishable by law.
9. All meeting to be recorded to eliminate inaccuracies.
10. Using children for revenge or blackmail should be punishable by law.
Social workers trying to protect them (children) feel demoralised and unsupported.
1. Social workers have too big a case load and are making too many mistakes to reach their targets.
2. Better education and better liasion with senior management who appear to be naïve of what happens on the shop floor.
3. The welfare of children is run like a business ‘cost befor care’ and this very cold attitude is not in the best interests of childre.
In many areas they spend too much time on inadequate IT systems and too little time seeing children.
1. On the job experiences cannot be beaten.
2. Seeing the trauma of young children indistressshould be enough to soften even the hardest hear. but when it is the case of rush in with twenty armed policemen to snatch 8 children nobody care about the didtress of the child.
New recruits deal with complex cases without adequate training and supervision.
1. I know someone who had a friend that trained as a social worker but died within 6 months and is was claimed lack of training and stress was a big part of his death.
Police child protection teams are under-resourced and have low status.
What this really means, we do not know. The last paragraph explains how they go about it. I have it from a granny that had full PRRs over her grandson but the police waded in and bodily dragged the 14 year old back to his mother on her say so. Methinks the police are well qualified.
It can take 45 weeks to bring a child protection case to court.
An absolute scandal! That amount of time destroys a childs stability, identity and the will to be a human being . Having to suffer being told your family does not want you any more just to prepare them for adoption.
The government should provide child protection training for council leaders and senior managers.
Of coarse, that is the main problem, the higher staff havn’t a clue what goes on with their social workers. I have a nice letter from Edinburgh Council; explaining their policy. It is nothing like what happens in practice.
Social workers' employers should face disciplinary action over child protection failures.
Aggreed. Social workers should face the law for falcifaction of records but so should the directors for neglect of duty.
A national agency should be set up to oversee the swift and effective implementation of these recommendations.
More money being thrown in the wrong place. The governmennt is admitting here it cannot cope with it’s own organisations. Order them to do the job right or face the consequences of losing their job or prosecution. That will make them sit up and take notice. Listen to the people when they are crying out to you for justice or is that dropping your standards too far.
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