Grandparents as Care-Givers - Among the Neediest of Families
According to a New York Times article by Kari Haskell, 300,000 children live in grandparent-headed households in New York State as reported in the 2000 census. Nationally, 4.5 million live with their grandparents, a 30 percent increase from 1990. In New York State 143,014 grandparents serve as primary caregivers for children under 18 and 2.4 million nationally. The numbers are growing.
They
are filling a childcare gap because the children’s own parents have died
or deal with problems of substance abuse, mental illness, incarceration,
poverty, domestic violence, or divorce. Nineteen percent of grandparent
caregivers live in poverty. Many have health and financial problems of
their own. Immigrant grandparents are even more isolated and needy.
Legislation is needed to help these struggling groups. Unless grandparents are designated primary caregivers by the states they live in, they cannot register children for school or get medical care and government assistance. In October 2003, 850,000 supporters rallied in Washington, D.C. to promote legislation to support kinship-care bills to provide assistance subsidies, housing, and respite-care programs.
To help, religious and nonprofit community groups are providing support groups and other services. AARP has a grandparent information center. (LINK) Locally Child Care Council of Nassau County has co-sponsored a new initiative with the Jericho/Syosset/Woodbury Partnership. The Manhasset/Great Neck Community Service Center, through its Family Support Program, has a grandparents’ support group. We are well aware of this growing family dynamic.