Grandparents who are the full-time carers for their grandchildren are accusing Glasgow City Council of institutionalised discrimination over its treatment of the children in their care.
"Kinship carers" are grandparents, other relatives or friends who provide care for children whose parents cannot look after them.
The New Fossils support group has now lodged a petition claiming such children are discriminated against compared with those removed from their families and placed in foster care.
The petition, to be heard tomorrow, has been put forward by Mary McPherson, a member of the group from the east end of Glasgow.
The group argues that two identical children appearing before a children's panel and placed in the care of the council could have very different experiences depending on whether they are placed with foster carers or kinship carers, which amounts to discrimination.
A child placed in foster care is immediately given a start-up grant to cover emergency expenses such as clothes, while the foster carer is given grants for needs such as beds, cots, prams or safety equipment, they claim.
The carer then receives a weekly allowance to cover the child's expenses, with increased sums to cover holidays, and birthday or Christmas presents.
By comparison, the group says: "Kinship children walk away with Gran, with just the clothes they stand in."
Ms McPherson claims that while the Scottish Parliament voted in 2007 to pay Kinship children the same allowances as children in foster care by 2011, the Scottish Government reneged on the pledge in 2009.
Anne Swartz, chairwoman of The Scottish Kinship Care Alliance, said: "Kinship children are routinely written off and discriminated against, while foster placements have access to a wide range of support and services."
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