Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Prior to my retirement in 1996, I spent nearly eight years trying to determine the effects on grandparents, parents, and grandchildren in families in which the grandparents were heads of households in home whose their minor grandchildren lived (both with parents present and without parents present). During the latter part of this research I was joined by Patricia Pakan, Ph.D.
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Five Articles - This site contains a summary of this work prepared in five articles for use in the popular press they are: • Invisible Care Givers: GRG • GRG: The Grandparents • GRG: The Grandchildren • GRG: The Parents • GRG: Some Concluding Thoughts |
| • Transparency Material - This site contains the transparency material used in professional speeches about GRG. |
| • Summary Article - This site contains an article which is a summary of the comments of 400 elementary school children entitled, "What would your Grandchildren have said?" This article summarizes the thoughts of children reflecting on their grandparents. Ellie Wiggins, Eds, co-authored this article. |
| • Biographical Sketch of Patricia Pakan, PhD |
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Transparency
| Transparency One - Sample/Data | Transparency Two - Method |
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Interviews were transcribed, analyzed, and coded |
| Interviews 1989 - 1996 50 grandparents 25 adult grandchildren raised by grandparents 10 parents U.S. Census Data 1970-1993 U.S. National Health Survey 1988 |
Surveys were analyzed
Data collected in these areas
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| Transparency Three - Demographics | |||
| 1970 (in thousands) |
1993 (in thousands) |
% Change | |
| Children in Grandparent-headed households | 2,214 | 3,368 (5.0*) | +52 |
| Parent Present | 1,257 | 2,351 (3.5*) | +87 |
| No Parent Present | 957 | 1,017 (1.5*) | +6 |
| * % of children under 18 | |||
| Transparency Four - Grandparent (npp) Caregiver Profile* | ||
| Median Age | 57 | 77% between 45-64 |
| 23% over 65 | ||
| 7% over 75 | ||
| Race | 68% | White |
| 29% | Black | |
| 2% | Asia/Pacific Islander | |
| 10% | Hispanic | |
| Income | $18,000 | ($36,000 for parent-headed household) |
| Education | 58% | Did not graduate from high school |
| 26% | Graduated from high school | |
| 11% | High school plus | |
| 5% | Bachelor's degree or higher | |
| Location | 57% | South |
| 14% | Northeast | |
| 14% | Midwest | |
| 14% | West | |
| * March 1992 Current Population Survey | ||
| Transparency Five - Reasons | Transparency Six - Findings: The Grandparents | |
| Substance abuse | Maternal grandparents were primary caregivers | |
| Parental neglect | Paternal grandparents offered support | |
| Parent unable to care for children | Grandparents regretted parents' unrealized potential | |
| Parent unwilling to care for children | Grandparents wished parents could raise the children | |
| Physical abuse | Grandparents expressed anger over this parenting situation: | |
| Sexual abuse |
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| Incarceration, death |
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| Transparency Seven - The Grandparents cont'd | ||
| Grandparents experienced conflict with the parent regarding control of the child. | ||
| Grandparents' main concerns were for the parents and grandchildren - not for themselves | ||
| Grandparents were anxious about when and how the situation would be resolved. | ||
| Grandparents major concerns for their grandchildren were: | ||
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| Transparency Eight - Findings: Parents | Transparency Nine - Findings: Grandchildren | |
| The primary reason parents are in this situation is substance abuse. | Grandchildren did not perceive their situation as different from other children until adolescence. | |
| Fathers were generally uninvolved in their children's lives. | Grandchildren experienced the most emotional turmoil during adolescence. | |
| Mothers experienced conflict with their parents over the control of their own children. | Grandchildren love their grandparents and are grateful to them. | |
| Uninvolved parents felt estranged and disconnected from their children. | Grandchildren developed negative feelings for uninvolved parents, especially mothers. | |
| Parents wished they would have raised their children | Grandchildren wished their parents could have raised them. | |
| Parents expressed love for their children and guilt and regret about the situation | ||
| Transparency Ten - Findings: General | ||
| African-American grandparents were three times as likely to be raising their grandchildren as were Caucasian grandparents (12% vs. 4%). | ||
| African-American grandparents saw the church as a source of social and financial support. | ||
| Caucasian grandparents reported greater family disruption. | ||
| Lower socio-economic grandparents reported more financial problems; higher socio-economic grandparents reported more issues regarding time. | ||
| Custody arrangements were varied and problematic. | ||
| Family and friends were the greatest sources of support - not Social Services. | ||
| Transparency Eleven - Grandchildren Raised by Grandparents (npp) (as compared to two parent-headed homes) | ||
| Problem | Less Likely | More Likely |
| Academic (age 5-17) | Repeat grade* Expelled/Suspended Parent-Teacher Conference |
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| Behavior (age 5-17) | Anti-social behavior Headstrong Behavior |
Peer Conflict/Social Withdrawal Dependency Receive Treatment |
| Health (age 0-17) | Accident/Injury/Poisoning* Chronic Enuresis Frequent Headaches Speech Defects |
Chronic Asthma |
| * May be significant NOTE: Data from 1987 National Health Interview Survey Other Categories: Never Married; Mother-No Father; Mother-Stepfather; Formerly Married Mother-No Father; Other |
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| Transparency Twelve - Themes | ||||
| Feelings Toward | ||||
| Seen As | Grandparent | Parent | Grandchildren | |
| Grandparent | Hero/Heroine | Proud | Anger | Love |
| Parent | Irresponsible | Grateful/Resentful | Anger (guilt) Sad |
Estrangement |
| Grandchild | Victim | Grateful | Anger (resentment) |
Confident /Normal |
| Transparency Thirteen - Themes cont'd | ||
| Dream | Conclusion | |
| Grandparent | Parent raise child | Would do it again |
| Parent | Raise own child | Would do it differently |
| Grandchild | Live with mother | Grateful to grandparent |
| Transparency Fourteen - Recommendations | Transparency Fifteen - Grandparent to Grandparent Advice | |
| Kinship Care Provision Law | Realize the commitment | |
| Referral Network Family Counseling Financial Assistance Health Service for Grandchildren Legal Aid Respite Care Support Groups |