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Grandparents' Association is the fastest growing membership organisation for grandparents in the country.
It was launched in 1987 by a group of grandparents whose grandchildren had been put into care, adopted from care or were not allowed any contact with them.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve the lives of children by working with and for all grandparents especially those who:
- Have lost or are losing contact with their grandchildren because of divorce, family feud or other problems.
- Are caring for their grandchildren on a full time basis.
- Have childcare responsibilities for their grandchildren.
- Are interested in the educational and welfare needs of their grandchildren.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to:
- All grandparents.
- Any organisation or individual who support our aims.
STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES:
The Grandparents’ Association is committed to supporting and promoting the role, contribution and value of grandparents by:
- Listening to and respecting grandparents
- Providing information, advice and support services which are developed and delivered on the basis of their needs and experiences
- Working with others to advance the profile and status of grandparents
- Promoting awareness of grandparents and grandparenting.
OUR AIMS
- To promote full participation by grandparents to ensure that contact is maintained between grandparents and their grandchildren when the family unit breaks down or there is conflict.
- To support grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren.
- To promote full participation by service users and potential service users in the design and delivery of support services.
- To campaign for improvements in relevant policy and legislation by highlighting issues unique to grandparents and grandchildren.
- To develop our equal opportunities policies and practice by continually monitoring and reviewing all aspects of our work and to promote the provision of accessible and appropriate services for all sections of the community.
- To educate the public in order to prevent the difficulties that cause the continued separation of grandchildren from their grandparents.
WE BELIEVE THAT:
- A special relationship exists between grandchildren and grandparents.
- Decisions should always be made in the child's best interests.
- Children should have a voice.
- To campaign for improvements in relevant policy and legislation by highlighting issues unique to grandparents and grandchildren.
- Ageism should not feature in any decision taken in the best interest of the child's welfare and future.
- Younger people and older people can learn from each other.
- Policy makers must acknowledge the role of grandparents.
- Grandparents who are primary carers must be given equal status to other carers including financial support.
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