Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 49(1/2), 2007, pp.65-79.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
The US Census 2000 reported that 2.4 million grandparents are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren, and some 27% of such households are impoverished. There may be significant problems with housing but these have been little researched, and it is only recently that federal policy initiatives have been developed in this area. This paper reports on a telephone survey of staff at eight such households, and advise social workers to lobby local state and federal policy makers on the issues of child custody and long term planning for the future in the event of grandparents becoming incapacitated. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
The US Census 2000 reported that 2.4 million grandparents are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren, and some 27% of such households are impoverished. There may be significant problems with housing but these have been little researched, and it is only recently that federal policy initiatives have been developed in this area. This paper reports on a telephone survey of staff at eight current and proposed housing and support service sites for grandparent and/or relative caregivers across the USA. Issues of housing design, funding sources, referral sources, service provision and regulations are discussed. Funding, education and advocacy appear crucial to helping grandparent families provide safe homes. The authors find that current policies are harming rather than helping such households, and advise social workers to lobby local state and federal policy makers on the issues of child custody and long term planning for the future in the event of grandparents becoming incapacitated. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Subject terms:
housing, older people, social care provision, carers, care planning, child custody, grandparents;
Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 33(3), 2000, pp.85-102.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Kinship foster care programmes are designed to address the needs of relatives, usually grandparents, who have taken in children who have been removed form their homes voluntarily, or following a substantiated report of neglect and/or abuse. The author reviews the history of kinship foster care within the US and examines related research. Also, reports the findings of a survey of kinship foster
Kinship foster care programmes are designed to address the needs of relatives, usually grandparents, who have taken in children who have been removed form their homes voluntarily, or following a substantiated report of neglect and/or abuse. The author reviews the history of kinship foster care within the US and examines related research. Also, reports the findings of a survey of kinship foster care programmes nationwide and from qualitative interviews with nine grandmothers from New York City who were kinship foster care providers. Particular attention was paid in these surveys to the impact of kinship foster care on families caring for children with disabilities.
Subject terms:
kinship care, needs, physical disabilities, relatives, social work history, surveys, child abuse, child neglect, children, families, foster care, grandparents;