Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
By Carol Greenfield, Senior Web Solutions
Is raising children part of your future retirement? Most grandparents burst with pride over their new roles as grandparents. For some, however, grandparenting can mean becoming a parent once again with all of the responsibilities and challenges and more. In Massachusetts alone, there are almost 68,000 children living in grandparent-headed households, that is 4.5% of all children in the state. Almost 28,000 grandparents report they are responsible for their grandchildren living with them. Almost 1/3 of these grandparents live in households without the children's parents present.
Grandparents are raising children for various reasons. It may due to the death of a parent, but more often than not, there is a relationship to neglect as well as alcohol and drug abuse, which leads to the parents incapable of caring for their children.
Grandparents raising grandchildren cope with significant emotional and stress-related issues. Most think they are the only ones raising grandchildren. And most don't know where to get the help they need.
There are so many new issues to think about when you begin to raise your grandchild. For example, some grandparents ask the courts to make them legal guardians for the grandchild they are raising. This allows them to make important decisions for the child such as enrollment in school and giving permission to receive medical treatment.
Fortunately, there are resources in the community that can help.
- A Resource Guide for Massachusetts' Grandparents Raising their Grandchildren - this publication includes legal, financial, health, housing, and child care information as well as local support groups. It is available by calling 800 AGE-INFO.
- The GAP Resource Network of Greater Lowell, funded by Catholic Charities, provides a network of grandparent support groups, a help-line, a legal task force, a respite fund, workshops and social activities. Past workshops have covered topics such as psychotropic medications, guardianship and adoption, finances and housing. Contact: gap_lowell@ccab.org.
- AARP Grandparenting Information Center - www.aarp.org/families/grandparents - provides information on grandparenting resources nationwide including finding a grandparenting support group, locating health insurance for your grandchildren, tax tips, housing issues, and helping your grandchild succeed at school.
To share relevant resources with other librarians on grandparenting or issues relating to aging, please email Mary Behrle. We will include them on the Lifelong Access eXchange.
