Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Shirley Lemacks NUR/440 April 9, 2012 Karen Harriman Grandparents Raising Grandchildren In today’s society, an increasing number of middle aged and older adults are raising their grandchildren because of complex family problems with the majority of the caregivers being the grandmothers. With the increasing incidence of parental substance abuse, child abuse and neglect, parental AIDS, incarceration, divorce and desertion there is sure to be more children placed with their grandparents. Grandparents differ from other adults caring for children. Most are close to retirement or have already retired and have lower financial resources and less physical stamina than the younger adults have. They face difficulties resuming parenting responsibilities, difficulties assessing assistance and high legal costs. All of this combined with their older age results in social, financial and health problems. Local, State and National Levels On the national level in 2000, “More than 3.9 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren in their homes. Overall, about 5.4 million children nationwide live with their grandparents. In fact, one in 10 grandparents has been the primary support of a grandchild at some time in their lives” (Doucette-Dudman, 2000). Today with challenges in our economy over the past five years, including the housing and foreclosure crisis, and the loss of jobs, 4.9 million children (7 percent) under age 18 live in grandparent-headed households. According to the 2010 United States Census Bureau, “Fifty one percent of grandparents who have grandkids living with them are white (up from 46 percent in 2000); 24 percent are Black/African American (down from 28 percent in 2000); and 19 percent are Hispanic/Latino (down slightly from 20 percent in 2000). For grandparents reporting responsibility for grandchildren 67 percent

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