There are an estimated 2.3 million Australians currently providing care to family members, relatives, and friends. A growing number are 'Grandfamilies' where grandparents and kin carers are raising grandchildren due to the parents' inability to care for them. The reasons are various and complex including neglect, mental illness, drugs and alcohol misuse, imprisonment and death.
In Australia, an estimated 35,100 children under 15 years of age are living with their grandparents and other relatives.
The degree of hardship and difficulty faced by these grandparents varies depending on cultural issues; their financial situation; legal difficulties regarding the status of their grandchildren; complications with health; social lifestyle changes, and emotional and psychological trauma for themselves and for the children.
In addition, there may be difficulties coping with the education system, with grandparents requiring help liaising with schools, children who are refusing to go to school, grandparents who lack parenting skills relevant to today's young people and children who are difficult to control.
These family carers can be isolated from their peers due to family duties. They often feel a sense of grief and loss, suffer financial, physical and emotional stress, don't know where to go for parenting information or know their rights and responsibilities.
In recognition of their special needs and vital community role, the Western Australian Labor Government through the Office for Seniors Interests and Carers initiated and funded a service to assist grandparents raising grandchildren. Australia's first grandparents support service called Grandcare, was established in September 2002 and is administered through Wanslea Family Services, a community-based service provider in Perth.
The Grandcare service includes an 1800-telephone information line which offers practical assistance, informal counselling and advice on child management and education, financial support and links to other community resources, and country and metropolitan support group networks, some with creche facilities.
The service also has a visiting assessment and support service, and ongoing grandparenting skills and personal development training.
Contact : 1800 008 323 (freecall, 10am-3pm, Mon-Fri)
The ages of grandparents accessing the Grandcare service range from late 30s to more than 80 years. The age range of grandchildren is between 2 days and 18 years, and the number of grandchildren being cared for by their grandparents ranges from one to eight. Most grandparents are looking after two or three children at one time.
Consultations with grandparents raising grandchildren reveal that the three main issues for grandparents are the need for financial advice and support, the need for legal support pertaining to parenting orders and custody, and the need for information on child management and behavioural issues. These issues were also identified as priorities in the Australian Government National Report on "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" (a project commissioned by the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, and carried out by COTA National Seniors, July 2003).
The Office for Seniors Interests and Carers has produced "Grandfamilies: A resource Guide for Western Australian Grandparents Raising Children". This is a publication which provides helpful information to grandparentswith information and advice on a range of topics. This booklet is available from the Seniors Card Centre:
Level 1, Albert Facey House
469 Wellington Street
PERTH WA 6000
Phone:
Seniors Information Service: (08) 6217 8855
Country Freecall: 1800 671 233
Office Reception: (08) 6217 8800
Fax: (08) 9226 4745
Email:
seniorscard@dcd.wa.gov.au