Grandparents Statutory Right to Access 2023-05-16
2023-05-16
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from the impact of divorce or bereavement on family relationships, particularly focusing on the role of grandparents in children's lives. The MP highlights that current legal processes can be costly and often ineffective.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of giving grandchildren a statutory right to access their grandparents following a divorce or bereavement. I thank the Minister for his answer but we know that the bond with a grandparent can be one of the most precious relationships in a child's life, yet so often in the adult wars of family breakdown children are a weapon and actions by grandparents through the family court are often incredibly expensive and frequently fruitless.
We recognise that grandparents often play an important role in children's lives and can provide stability in families following divorce or bereavement. However, when making any decision about a child's upbringing the court's paramount consideration must be the welfare of the child based on the individual facts of the case, and given the importance of considering each case on its individual merits neither adults nor children have a statutory right of access. My hon. Friend might want to take up the question of an older persons commissioner with the Prime Minister because I suspect that is well above my pay grade. On access for grandparents, I will double-check this but am pretty sure that we recently extended the ability to get legal aid to special guardianship orders, which may well be accessible for grandparents to secure rights of access.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific statutory right requested was not addressed directly; instead, the Minister highlighted the importance of individual welfare considerations and mentioned recent extensions to legal aid for special guardianship orders without a concrete commitment.
My Hon. Friend Might Want To Take Up The Question Of An Older Persons Commissioner With The Prime Minister Because I Suspect That Is Well Above My Pay Grade.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question stems from the ongoing debate about family breakdown and its effects on children's relationships with their grandparents. The MP raises concerns over high costs and ineffectiveness in current legal frameworks.
What more can the Department do to give grandchildren that right to see their grandparents, and is it not about time we followed the example of Scotland, which has an older persons Minister, and Northern Ireland and Wales, which have older persons commissioners, to take up such issues?
My hon. Friend might want to take up the question of an older persons commissioner with the Prime Minister because I suspect that is well above my pay grade. On access for grandparents, I will double-check this but am pretty sure that we recently extended the ability to get legal aid to special guardianship orders, which may well be accessible for grandparents to secure rights of access.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific request regarding an older persons commissioner was not addressed directly; instead, the Minister mentioned recent extensions to legal aid without a concrete commitment.
My Hon. Friend Might Want To Take Up The Question Of An Older Persons Commissioner With The Prime Minister Because I Suspect That Is Well Above My Pay Grade.
Response accuracy