I was promised into a marriage when I was 8 and fled this forced marriage when I was 16. My campaigning began when my sister Robina who was forced to marry and later in her life tragically committed suicide.

Robina tragically set herself on fire and this led me to establishing www.karmanirvana.org.uk My decision not to marry a stranger led my family to disowning me for life.

Why am I telling you this?

My family relationships abruptly ended 40 years ago and I remain disowned by my family. The sense of abandonment and rejection continues to impact my life and that of my children.  In the case of grandparents there is very little they can do when these relationships are cruelly taken from them but to seek redress from the law or to live in hope that one-day there grandchildren will find them

It is really difficult to describe the unique relationship between a grandchild and grandparent, however, it is one that provides a window into your past and present that should be preserved. I also believe children do not deserve to have any loving/safe family relationships abruptly removed from their lives.   

This campaign is about the rights for grandchildren to continue having safe, established contact with grandparents, in cases where they have been abruptly removed. 
 
Estimated 2 million grandparents in the UK are being denied their chance to enjoy this safe loving relationship. It usually happens because the relationship between the grandparents and parents has broken down for a variety of reasons– but it’s the children who suffer.
 
Grandparents can also play a key safeguarding role. In Arthur’s Labingo-Hughes’ and Star Hobson’s tragic stories, it’s been reported that grandparents raised concerns, but no one was listening. Would it have made a difference if grandparents were clearly situated in the Children Act 1989? 

200,000 Kinship Carers in the UK, half are grandparents, saving Local Authorities millions. Basically, grandparents are a good financial solution and so an option for a Local Authority and yet this relationship is not protected in law or clearly stated in the Children Act 1989.

Our change:
 
The Children Act 1989 - The law which keeps children safe - makes no specific reference to grandchildren or grandparents. We want the Children Act 1989 to be amended so that it includes and protects the relationship between grandchildren and grandparents.

We want a national conversation and a legal system that responds to the needs of grandchildren and enforces Child Arrangement Orders when issued to grandparents and breached. 

We want a fair system where those with parental responsibility cannot simply remove safe and loving contact with grandchildren, leaving them wondering what happened to grandparents. The impact of such experiences of abandonment on children will remain with them for the rest of their lives. 
 
Please sign my petition to call on the Prime Minister and Justice Minister to change the Children Act 1989 and law to protect grandchildren. Children should never be weaponised or deprived of a loving, safe and caring relationship with their grandparents.

www.grandparentsunitedforchildren.org.uk
 
 www.jasvindersanghera.com 

If you wish to support this campaign or are affected please contact GUFC