"We had watched our daughter battle her addiction for years. We had tried to help her – tried to help the kids. When the last boyfriend moved in and the children were living with yet another man who was angry and abusive we just couldn't watch any more.
We took the children and said we would bring them back when he moved out and she got help. That was five years ago – he moved out, she's getting some help and the children are still with us. They are settled – and she is starting to relate to them again, but there's a long way to go."
Legal matters surrounding life as a grandparent raising grandchildren can be complex and confusing. Even if your family has an amicable agreement regarding the children's care it is advisable to seek legal advice about parental rights and responsibilities.
The advice you get may be enough to help you decide if you can resolve your legal problem without a lawyer or you may wish to pursue legal action and ensure the arrangements you have are legally recognised.
Are you a grandparent?
LEGAL AID Information for Grandparents: Your legal questions answered.
Click Here For More Info
Grandparent's Family Law Information Guide
Published
by the Family Law Reform Association NSW Inc: Your grandparent legal questions
answered.
Click Here For More
Information On Guide
Click Here To Access To Family Law Reform Association NSW Inc. Website
Family Inclusion Network (FIN) - NSW
The aim of FIN-NSW is to give parent and families of 'children in care' a voice.
FIN
promotes best practice in child protection and works from the belief
that birth families are important to children's wellbeing. In keeping
with this view FIN aims to promote family inclusive child protection
practice.
FIN-NSW provides an advice line for parents,
grandparents and other families. The telephone number is 045 0521 610.
The advice line is staffed by persons who know about the NSW Children
and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998, the Children's Court,
Legal Aid and the working of the child protection system. Parent and
family members who are involved with the Department of Family and
Community Services, Community Services division can get useful
information from this advice line.
FIN-NSW is not connected in any way to the NSW Department of Family and Community Services, Community Services division.
Click here for more information
Informal relative or carer statutory declaration
COTA
(NSW) launched the Statutory Declaration for informal relative carers with
the Attorney General, the Honourable
John Hatzistergos MLC in 2010
. The Declaration
can assist such caregivers to give consent for the child to participate in
activities, such as school excursions.
For a copy of the declaration click
here
Links
To find more about Legal Issues click here
To find more about Legal Aid click here