Why Grandparents Are Raising Their Grandchildren? - Essay Sample

Introduction

In recent years, American society and the rest of the world have witnessed significant changes in family structures. This has resulted in changes in how families are organized in bringing up children. There has been diversification of family forms due to reasons such as heightened number of divorces, increase in instances of single-parent families, a breakdown in parental due to substance abuse, and change in policies and politics among others. The outcome has been increased reliance if extended families such as grandparents to care for the children. In addition, there is increased economic stagnation in which there is a reduction in real wages and parents are unable to care for their children. This paper examines why grandparents are increasingly raising their grandchildren.

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The increased divorce rates and separations have led to the phenomenon of single-parent families. This has led to the increased reliance by parents on extended families to provide help of raising children. Often, this responsibility rests on grandparents. In such situations, grandparents become essential components of the family system and them lender important contributions to the functioning of the family (Baker, Silverstein, & Putney, 2010). They usually becoming essential attachments figures for their grandchildren. In addition, the increased presence of mothers in the workplace has led to an increased need for grandparents to care for their grandchildren.

There have been increased developments in child-rearing and welfare policies over the years. In the past, grandparents have not considered the best options in case there was a need to place a child rescued from abusive or neglectful families. It was theorized that there was a culture of intergenerational impairment and inappropriate parenting in the same family and therefore the need to source alternative outside placements. However, there was a paradigm change in the 1990s which saw increased placements of children with their relatives. It is reported that by the early 1990s, more than 29 states in the United States has formulated laws that supported the placement of children with grandparents and other relatives (Smith et al, 2008). Currently, grandparent foster care placements are more prevalent that than traditional foster care homes. Some of the policy changes that promoted grandparents caring for grandchildren is that of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 which supported the preference of placing foster children with their relatives (Smith et al, 2008).

Another factor suggesting the increased cases of grandparents caring for their grandchildren is that of changes in the society. Concurrently with various changes in policies in the context of child welfare, there are great influences from other social forces. For instance, the increase in the epidemic of drug abuse such as cocaine which is highly addictive has led to other effects such as increased HIV/AIDS infections and associated orphaning (Wang & Marcotte, 2007). This has been due to parental incapacity and in some cases deaths. The outcome is grandchildren left under the care of their grandparents. It is also noted that another societal factor is the high incarceration rates due to stringent drugs laws and mandatory sentencing especially involving women. In the case of incarceration of mothers, grandparents tend to take up the responsibility of raising the grandchildren (Wang & Marcotte, 2007). There are also other social factors that lead to increased rates of grandparents raising grandchildren to include increased poverty and unemployment rates and teen pregnancies.

There is also a changing politics concerning the concept of ageing. It is evident that there is are changes in the politics of ageing since there an increase in the number of elders working in organizations. In the past, there has been a stereotype in which the elderly are considered to be a week. There is an increase in policies portraying the poor as people who can contribute positively to society. Interest groups supporting the old also increased significantly. From these changes, there emerged the need to focus on the development of interest groups which focus on children and the elderly trying to develop a platform to address their issues. The groups supporting the elder and those supporting the children need to work together to achieve their common goals. It can be viewed that the shift in atmosphere availed an opportunity to expand the politics of ageing to include the situation there could mutual benefits between various members of the society. The emergence of the concept of grandparents raising their grandchildren was supported by the policy agendas and coalitions that sought to further intergenerational issues. In 1995, there was White House Conference which was the first profound meeting that sought to discuss the emerging concept of grandparents bringing up their grandchildren (Smith et al, 2008). This introduced the issue to policymakers and the general public. Evidently, after two years there was first national symposium by Generation United and the agenda was grandparents and relatives taking up the responsibility of the raising children (Smith et al, 2008). Advocates, practitioners and researchers convened to examine this issue especially concerning the benefits for care receivers and givers. In addition, the Brookdale Foundation was instrumental in ensuring issues of intergenerational families were recognized. The provided the initial capital that helped in the creation of AARP's Grandparent Information Center whose function is the provision of support and information to grandparents countrywide (Smith et al, 2008). There has been the development of Relatives AS Parents Program abbreviated as RAPP. In summary, the issue of grandparents raising grandchildren way increasingly supported by the changed politics that to better understand ageing. It enlightened the public and policymakers that ageing entails development of individuals and groups as they go through different stages in life and not about being old at a specific time.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the issue of grandparents raising their grandchildren has been on the rise over the years. This has been caused by a number of emerging issues. Such include increasing divorce rates and separations, changes in the politics of ageing and changes in child welfare. In the US, there has been an increase in cases of grandparents bringing up their grandchildren. It is, however, important to examine others issues inherent in this kind of a relationship. Such issues include the vulnerability of these caregivers and care receivers. It is a concept that needs increased attention by the public and policymakers. This will help establish issues that face such relationship. Consequently, there will be the development of strategies that best address the needs of the care receivers and caregivers. The causes of grandchildren raising their grandchildren will not end anytime soon. Therefore, it is necessary for the public, government and policymakers to understand the inherent issues of this concept to better help the involved parties.

References

Baker, L., Silverstein, M., & Putney, N. (2008). Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in the United States: Changing Family Forms, Stagnant Social Policies. Journal of Societal & Social Policy, 7, 53-69.

Smith, C., Beltran, A., Butts, D., & Kingson, E. (2008). Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 34(1), 81-94. doi: 10.1300/j083v34n01_06

Wang, Y., & Marcotte, D. (2007). Golden Years? The Labor Market Effects of Caring for Grandchildren. Journal of Marriage and Family, 69(5), 1283-1296. doi: 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2007.00447.x