Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
It’s a situation with
growing numbers. In Minnesota, it’s now
estimated that more than 71,000 kids (an increase of 100%
since 1990) are now living under the primary care of a
grandparent or some older relative. Nationwide,
there are more than 4.5 million children living in 2.4
million households headed by grandparents, according to the
2000 U.S. Census, marking a 30 percent climb during the past
10 years.
To meet the demand of these
increasing numbers, a new support network is spreading out
across the state to provide assistance to grandparents –
along with other older, non-traditional parents – raising
"grandkin." Host
agencies have been identified in each part of the state that
corresponds to an Area Agency on Aging. Through those hosts,
support groups and mentoring programs will be set up to meet
the needs of parenting grandparents in that portion of the
state. While that is a major focus of the grant, there are
other aspects as well. To find a host agency near you,
contact the Senior LinkAge Line®
at 1-800-333-2433.
Grandparent caregivers are real-life safety nets,
keeping the children they love safe and their families
together when birth parents are unable or unwilling to
parent.
Reasons for a parent's absence or unwillingness can
include:
- Substance abuse
- HIV/AIDS
- Death
- Abandonment
- Teen pregnancy
- Incarceration
- Divorce
- Poverty
- Mental Health Issues, among others
Becoming a kinship caregiver can be a challenging time as
the grandparent is often faced with new expenses and the
need for a larger home while living on a fixed income, and
can be faced with a child that has behavioral challenges
from a history of neglect.
Additional Resources:
Generations
United
The
Brookdale Foundation, Relatives as Parents Program
Administration on Aging
|
|
