Una is also concerned about the effect of the absence of grandparents has on the children. The children are not only traumatised by the split-up of their parents but also by the loss of their grandparents and other relatives. It's bad enough for a child to lose his mum or dad when they split up let alone grandparents they have been fond of. The relationship between a grandparent and grandchild is often very close. If that closeness is severed, a lot of unhappy children wonder why.
Grandparents are important members of the family network.
They act as caregiver, confidantes and companions to both parents and grandchildren. They a1so act as important role models and can pass on the experience and wisdom of age, the stories of their youth and family history. Because one parent, usually the mother, is given custody of the children, she can now decide who will have access to the children. I know of a lot of grandparents whose sons don't want to know, but they do. But some separations are not the result of ill feeling.