grandparents as parents

Grandparents as Parents

US Healthcare LandscapesApril 2011Suffolk UniversityGuest Lecturer: Diane D’Souza

The New Normal 1 in 10 children under age

18 in the US now live with a grandparent.

Source: Gretchen Livingston&Kim Parker, “Since the Start of the Great Recession, More Children Raised by Grandparents”, September 9, 2010. Accessed on 13 Apr. 2011 from: Pew Research Center website at: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1724/sharp-increase-children-with-grandparent-caregivers

7 % (4.9 million ) of children live in grandparent-headed households. This is an 8% increase from 2000, and more than double the rate in 1970.

Source: Amy Goyer, “More Grandparents Raising Grandkids”, December 20, 2010; accessed on 13 Apr. 2011 from AARP website at: www.aarp.org/relationships/grandparenting/info-12-2010/more_grandparents_raising_grandchildren.html

Who are these parenting grandparents?

RACE: 51% are white (up from 46% in 2000); 24% are Black/African American (down from 28% in 2000); and 19% are Hispanic/Latino (down slightly from 20% in 2000).

AGE: 67% are under age 60, which is down from 71% in 2000.

ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCE: The majority are working; 20% live in poverty; 72% own their own home.

GENDER: In 2000, 63% were female.

Source: Amy Goyer, “More Grandparents Raising Grandkids”, December 20, 2010; accessed on 13 Apr. 2011 from AARP website at: www.aarp.org/relationships/grandparenting/info-12-2010/more_grandparents_raising_grandchildren.html

What contributes to this increasing trend?

One factor: economic challenges such as

the housing and foreclosure crisis,

the loss of jobs,

general economic woes.

What else may be contributing?