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Balls proposes giving more legal rights to grandparents
Thu 21 Jan 2010
Grandparents will be offered greater legal rights in the event of their married children getting divorced and being denied contact.
According to children's secretary Ed Balls, millions of grandparents across the UK play an invaluable role in supporting their family.
Indeed, he described them as "unsung heroes", partly because they are a crucial part of a family's childcare arrangements.
However, Mr Balls believes lots of grandparents struggle to get access to their grandchildren in the event of a family breakdown.
He has therefore proposed revising family law so they do not have to apply for court permission to see their young relatives when contact is denied.
Mr Balls said removing this barrier would relieve an "enormous burden" that is currently placed on grandparents.
Jacqueline Major, a solicitor at Winckworth Sherwood, said: "At present grandparents have to first make an application for permission to make their actual application for contact. This means more delays, more cost and more distress in what are always emotional proceedings.
"In virtually all cases where grandparents apply for leave they have been successful - which suggests the application for leave is largely redundant.
"Allowing grandparents to make their application immediately, in the same way as parents do, will cut down time and cost and free up vital court time too.
"Grandparents' applications for contact with grandchildren is increasingly becoming an issue we are seeing. As with all matters relating to children these applications needs sensitivity and tact, as well as good legal expertise."
This comes after a study by Saga found that one in five parents over 50 have allowed their adult children to move back into the family home following a divorce.
