In Children Now's 11-17 October issue, Nagalro, the association representing children's guardians, slammed Harriet Harman's proposal for letting children deal directly with trained magistrates in family court disputes.

It seems Nagalro is intent on contravening the UN Convention on theRights of the Child based on that article, as well as the NSPCC. TheNSPCC says it "supports the United Nations Convention on the Rights ofthe Child", but the charity also admits it has "consistently opposed theidea that both parents have an automatic right to access to children,regardless of the wishes of the child".

Nagalro's and the NSPCC's comments are divisive and undermine thetraditional family. The UN convention clearly states that "parents havejoint primary responsibility for raising the child and the state shallsupport them in this". It also states "the child also has the right tomaintain contact with both parents if separated from one or both" andchildren have a right "to express an opinion and to have that opiniontaken into account".

Mike Ellis, press department, National Society for Children and FamilyContact

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