Grandparents as Guardians: A Nationwide Trend Grandparents widely consider spending time with their grandchildren one of the greatest benefits of growing older, according to a 2009 survey conducted by Pew Research Center. But, what happens when circumstances necessitate that grandparents become primary caregivers for their grandchildren? At a time when non-traditional families have become ubiquitous, the growing number of custodial grandparents and "skipped-generation families" are quietly impacting family dynamics, necessitating changes to long-standing public policies at both the federal and state level. The social phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren intersects with the welfare system, foster care policy, housing policy and custody laws, among others. Often, these complex intersections result in a tangled web of well-intentioned support services that may prove difficult for families to access. While best practices are beginning to emerge, this is an area in which policymakers, researchers and sociologists need to pay attention. What are the most cost-effective policy options that optimize outcomes for both grandparents and their grandchildren? As the following data reflect, this is a growing issue that will remain pertinent for quite some time. Nationally, nearly 6.7 million grandparents live with their grandchildren, and nearly 2.7 million are responsible for their grandchildren's care. 1 To put this in perspective, there are more grandparents responsible for their grandchildren than families receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). The number of Comparatively, the median family income in Arizona is $57,855. 5 Key Challenges for Grandparents Grandparents often become primary caregivers due to difficult family circumstances. In many cases parental absence is the result of substance abuse, incarceration, psychiatric disorder, child abuse, neglect or a death.

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Based on these findings, recommendations are made about how to tailor a trauma-informed approach to the needs of custodial grandparents.