Journal of Social Work Practice, 35(3), 2021, pp.273-286.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
... findings from a national and international perspective in that these grandparents will need additional assistance in this caregiving role. However, a major finding in this study was that the grandmother’s health did not negatively impact their ability to care for their grandchildren.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The research explored the experiences of African American grandmothers residing in rural communities caring for their grandchildren, while suffering from chronic health issues. The research examined their health, physical functioning, wellbeing, social support, and resources of these grandmothers from a Family Development lens. Given the trends of providing care for a grandchild, it is widely recognised that caregivers may experience stress, burden, and the disruption of their well-being and social activities as well as the pressure associated with caregiving roles. The grandmothers reported challenges which included stressors such as health issues, financial difficulties, limited support, transportation difficulties, and disruption in social activities. This supports the body of scholarly findings from a national and international perspective in that these grandparents will need additional assistance in this caregiving role. However, a major finding in this study was that the grandmother’s health did not negatively impact their ability to care for their grandchildren.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
black and minority ethnic people, grandparents, kinship care, rural areas;
Children and Youth Services Review, 35(12), 2013, p.2072–2079.
Publisher:
Elsevier
A considerable number of women find themselves serving as surrogate parents for their grandchildren. This issue is particularly salient for African-American women. This article highlights the experiences of African-American grandmothers who are rearing their grandchildren in a rural southern community. Data collection included in-depth interviewing, observation, and document review. Findings from the study underscore the need for policy makers and practitioners to understand the structural and cultural context in which grandparent caregiving occurs. Grandmothers serving as surrogate parents should have access to a comprehensive array of services some of which include financial, psychological, medical, and legal services. In addition to these services grandparent caregivers should be empowered to engage in activities which encourage support and self-care. Study findings generate ideas that will be of interest to those responsible for practice and policy decisions.
(Publisher abstract)
A considerable number of women find themselves serving as surrogate parents for their grandchildren. This issue is particularly salient for African-American women. This article highlights the experiences of African-American grandmothers who are rearing their grandchildren in a rural southern community. Data collection included in-depth interviewing, observation, and document review. Findings from the study underscore the need for policy makers and practitioners to understand the structural and cultural context in which grandparent caregiving occurs. Grandmothers serving as surrogate parents should have access to a comprehensive array of services some of which include financial, psychological, medical, and legal services. In addition to these services grandparent caregivers should be empowered to engage in activities which encourage support and self-care. Study findings generate ideas that will be of interest to those responsible for practice and policy decisions.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
grandparents, child care, black and minority ethnic people, rural areas, kinship care;
Journal of Family Social Work, 12(3), July 2009, pp.211-226.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This study investigates the extent to which the extended family provides support to African American nonresident fathers and its influence on their involvement with their children. The data for this study were collected from 278 African American nonresident fathers as a part of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The findings revealed that increased support from the child's paternal extended family was associated with higher levels of father involvement. However, increased support from the child's maternal extended family was associated with lower levels of father involvement. Implications for social work practice are included.
This study investigates the extent to which the extended family provides support to African American nonresident fathers and its influence on their involvement with their children. The data for this study were collected from 278 African American nonresident fathers as a part of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. The findings revealed that increased support from the child's paternal extended family was associated with higher levels of father involvement. However, increased support from the child's maternal extended family was associated with lower levels of father involvement. Implications for social work practice are included.
Subject terms:
non-resident parents, relatives, black and minority ethnic people, families, family members, fathers, grandparents;
Journal of Family Social Work, 12(1), January 2009, pp.25-43.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Interviews with 25 African American women providing kinship care for children reveals a range of stress factors including finances, time allocation, care responsibilities and concerns about the absent parent, as well as issues specific to the child such as behavioural and emotional problems and difficulties at school. Testing using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale showed elevated scores related to carer illnesses, carer age and the provision of care for older children or a larger number of children. Kinship care is both challenging and stressful, with carers at risk of depression and other mental health problems. The implications for health and social care providers are discussed.
Interviews with 25 African American women providing kinship care for children reveals a range of stress factors including finances, time allocation, care responsibilities and concerns about the absent parent, as well as issues specific to the child such as behavioural and emotional problems and difficulties at school. Testing using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale showed elevated scores related to carer illnesses, carer age and the provision of care for older children or a larger number of children. Kinship care is both challenging and stressful, with carers at risk of depression and other mental health problems. The implications for health and social care providers are discussed.
Subject terms:
kinship care, relatives, stress, black and minority ethnic people, depression, grandparents;
Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 19(3/4), 2007, pp.133-150.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Most research on grandparents who take on a custodial role in respect of grandchildren focus on grandmothers, and little is known about the potential risks facing grandfathers. This paper is based on a group of 26 Black, White and Latino custodial grandfathers, and focuses on the types and warning signs of abuse, exploitation and neglect by their families, including grandchildren who have often
Most research on grandparents who take on a custodial role in respect of grandchildren focus on grandmothers, and little is known about the potential risks facing grandfathers. This paper is based on a group of 26 Black, White and Latino custodial grandfathers, and focuses on the types and warning signs of abuse, exploitation and neglect by their families, including grandchildren who have often suffered violent and abusive backgrounds themselves. The most commonly expressed warning sign was a feeling of powerlessness and exclusion from family decision making over issues such as setting limits on children’s behaviours and actions. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Subject terms:
men, older people, parenting, risk, black and minority ethnic people, elder abuse, grandparents;
Looks at a number of research studies on the care of older people, and discusses the findings in relation to the National Service Framework for Older People.
Looks at a number of research studies on the care of older people, and discusses the findings in relation to the National Service Framework for Older People.
Subject terms:
older people, carers, black and minority ethnic people, communication, dementia, grandparents;
Social Work: A journal of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 47(1), January 2002, pp.45-54.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
The increase in grandparent-headed households is receiving much attention as the needs and concerns of these grandparents become more widely known. However, to the extent that services focus on the problems of this population, there is an inherent danger in overlooking their unique strengths and abilities. Empowerment training builds on these strengths to enable people to develop self-efficacy and their own problem-solving skills. In so doing, those empowered grandparents further empower the communities in which they live. This article describes an empowerment training project and its curriculum that was developed for a group of African American grandparents. The programme resulted in strengthened parenting skills, and development of the participants into community peer educators.
The increase in grandparent-headed households is receiving much attention as the needs and concerns of these grandparents become more widely known. However, to the extent that services focus on the problems of this population, there is an inherent danger in overlooking their unique strengths and abilities. Empowerment training builds on these strengths to enable people to develop self-efficacy and their own problem-solving skills. In so doing, those empowered grandparents further empower the communities in which they live. This article describes an empowerment training project and its curriculum that was developed for a group of African American grandparents. The programme resulted in strengthened parenting skills, and development of the participants into community peer educators.
Subject terms:
relatives, training, carers, black and minority ethnic people, empowerment, grandparents;
Adoption and Fostering, 25(3), Autumn 2001, pp.67-69.
Publisher:
Sage
The Family Rights Group were founded by the Home Office to carry out a national survey of grandparents raising their grandchildren in order to identify their needs and experiences. This article describes the survey and its findings, and attempts to identify why grandparents take over a 'parenting' role, what help they need as carers and whether existing support mechanisms meet their needs
The Family Rights Group were founded by the Home Office to carry out a national survey of grandparents raising their grandchildren in order to identify their needs and experiences. This article describes the survey and its findings, and attempts to identify why grandparents take over a 'parenting' role, what help they need as carers and whether existing support mechanisms meet their needs and those of their grandchildren.
Subject terms:
parental role, surveys, carers, black and minority ethnic people, children, families, grandparents;
Social Work: A journal of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 44(1), January 1999, pp.22-34.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
This article examines patterns of service use and predictors of unmet needs among a study of Latino grandparents in the USA. The findings indicate that lack of knowledge was the major barrier to service use, and predictors of unmet needs included low education, poor health, high levels of life stress, and lack of reliable help with child rearing. Implications for policy and practice strategies that focus on role-related needs of Latino custodial grandparents are discussed.
This article examines patterns of service use and predictors of unmet needs among a study of Latino grandparents in the USA. The findings indicate that lack of knowledge was the major barrier to service use, and predictors of unmet needs included low education, poor health, high levels of life stress, and lack of reliable help with child rearing. Implications for policy and practice strategies that focus on role-related needs of Latino custodial grandparents are discussed.
Subject terms:
Hispanic people, needs, unmet need, carers, black and minority ethnic people, grandparents;
Journal of Family Social Work, 17(2), 2014, pp.175-188.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Rural custodial grandparents have been understudied. As the grandparent caregiving population increases, more attention is needed to understand custodial grandparents in rural settings. This article explores the state of knowledge of the experiences of rural grandparents. A systematic review of the caregiving literature is conducted to understand the issues affecting this caregiving population. The results suggest that rural grandparents often are minority grandmothers with limited resources who provide care to older grandchildren in isolated environments. Attention is given to the social ecological framework as one model that can help to inform how social workers intervene with this population. Recommendations are offered for social work research, practice, and policy.
(Publisher abstract)
Rural custodial grandparents have been understudied. As the grandparent caregiving population increases, more attention is needed to understand custodial grandparents in rural settings. This article explores the state of knowledge of the experiences of rural grandparents. A systematic review of the caregiving literature is conducted to understand the issues affecting this caregiving population. The results suggest that rural grandparents often are minority grandmothers with limited resources who provide care to older grandchildren in isolated environments. Attention is given to the social ecological framework as one model that can help to inform how social workers intervene with this population. Recommendations are offered for social work research, practice, and policy.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
rural areas, grandparents, carers, kinship care, black and minority ethnic people, child care, looked after children, informal care;