Grandparents as influential as professional advisers on separation issues

New guide helps them to make sure their grandchildren are provided for.

Couples with children whose relationships are breaking up are as likely to discuss separation issues with their parents as they are with professional advisers, including solicitors. The influential role of grandparents is revealed today in a survey for Child Maintenance Options - the free and impartial information and support service.

According to a YouGov poll of over 1000 separated parents with children aged 18 or under, 60% said they turned to their parents, siblings and friends for help and advice while only 27% talked to a solicitor. Notably grandparents are the most likely to be called upon of that group, with 30% of the parents surveyed saying they turned to their mums and dads.

With an estimated 2.6 million children living in separated families in Britain, the survey highlights the need for the parents of couples who are splitting up to offer accurate and useful support. With this in mind Child Maintenance Options is today publishing a new ‘Grandparents Guide to Child Maintenance' explaining how they can help to make sure their grandchildren are properly provided for after divorce or separation.

"More and more grandparents and other members of the family and friends of separating couples are calling our helpline, seeking guidance on their behalf," says Janet Paraskeva, Chair of the Child Maintenance Options. "A quarter of those using our website are 55 and over and many are grandparents. As a result we have decided to prepare this simple guide to child maintenance. We hope it will provide grandparents with the facts they need to offer the practical support that should lead to more children benefiting from effective child maintenance arrangements.'

Sam Smethers, Chief Executive of charity Grandparents Plus, said: "Grandparents play an increasingly vital role in modern family life, supporting their children and grandchildren through change and providing guidance in difficult situations. When parents separate they often turn to grandparents for support and advice. We welcome this new publication as it will help grandparents as they do what they can to support their families."

The free guide includes sections explaining what child maintenance is and outlines the three ways it can be arranged:

• Privately - without involving the Child Support Agency (CSA)
• Via the courts
• Through the CSA

It also covers common concerns such as how child maintenance can be calculated, what to do if a couple are not on speaking terms and how to handle things if a parent stops paying.

The guide is designed for Grandparents like Tony and Gwen. They recently helped their son David through his separation from the mother of his son. They knew about the Child Maintenance Options service and encouraged him to call and speak to an Options specialist, but they wanted to help him more. ‘We couldn't give David any more advice on maintenance because we didn't know what his options were," Gwen said "We didn't want to give him the wrong help as it might have just added to the confusion at what is already a difficult time." Following his call to Options, David now has a successful maintenance arrangement in place. He and his ex signed a private agreement form which they got both their fathers to sign.'

The free guide for grandparents is downloadable from www.cmoptions.org or people can call the Child Maintenance Options helpline on 0800 988 0988 to request a copy (from Monday 29 March).

Facts about child maintenance:

• The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that around 300,000 couples with children separate each year.
• Since October 2008, no one has been compelled to use the CSA
• 93% of separated parents questioned by YouGov believe mothers and fathers still have a financial responsibility to their children even if they don't live with them
• Grandparents and other guardians who provide the main day-to-day care can also make a private agreement for child maintenance with either (or both) of the parents living apart from the child

Facts about grandparents:

• There are 14m grandparents in Britain (Bob Broad and Grandparents Association)
• Almost a third of grandchildren (31%) say their grandparents are like ‘second parents' to them (Research carried out by Opinium Research for BeGrand.net December 2009)
• Grandparents in Britain are spending over £11.5bn a year on their grandchildren (Research carried out by Opinium Research for BeGrand.net February 2010)
• Among single-parent families, between half and two thirds rely on grandparents to provide some childcare on a weekly basis (Grandparents Plus and Equality and Human Rights Commission)