Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Publisher: Ohio Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Task Force
Published Date: November 2000

Introduction

In Ohio and throughout our nation, grandparents are increasingly being called upon to serve as parents to their grandchildren. Grandparents are filling the role of primary parents to their grandchildren in 10 percent of all Ohio households with children. According to 1990 census data 167,199 Ohio children live with their grandparents. In 32,340 Ohio households with children, the grandparent is the primary caregiver.

While grandparents express some concern about their own health and finances, the overwhelming majority display a touching altruism, saying that they are far more concerned with the health and overall well-being of the grandchildren they are raising. Their specific worries and concerns most often pertain to the education, health coverage and overall safety of their grandchildren.

Consider these facts:

Grandparents are raising and providing most of the care for the children in 10 percent of Ohio households with children.
Of those, one in four grandparents - roughly 32,340, statewide - is the sole provider for his or her grandchildren.
Reasons most often cited for grandparents assuming parental roles include problems related to the biological parents, such as substance abuse, divorce, separation, employment, abandonment, teenage pregnancy, pursuit of education, finances, death, physical or mental illness, homelessness, child abuse or neglect and incarceration.
The average care arrangement is approximately six years in duration.
The average age of a grandparent raising a grandchild or grandchildren is 55, though 16 percent are age 65 or older.
Over half of the children cared for by grandparents are age 6 or younger.
Half of the grandparents provide care for more than one grandchild.
87 percent of grandparents raising their grandchildren are female.
43 percent of grandparents raising grandchildren are not currently married.
51 percent of grandparents raising grandchildren have annual household incomes below $30,000; 25 percent have annual household incomes of less than $15,000.
Only 11 percent of grandparents raising grandchildren are legal guardians for the children; just 9 percent have formal temporary custody.
9 percent of grandparents raising grandchildren receive child support; 14 percent receive financial support from public assistance; and 8 percent receive social security for the child.
99 percent of grandparents raising grandchildren have never participated in a grandparents support group; roughly 60 percent consider the availability of such groups and related counseling services important.

Recognizing the special circumstances often accompanying these types of parental relationships, the Ohio General Assembly formed a statewide task force on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. The task force was asked to ascertain the number of Ohio grandparents raising grandchildren, specify major needs and concerns and develop a strategic action. The report linked below reflects the outcome of that work.

Download and read this publication

This publication is available as an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file. The file size is given in parentheses. Larger files (200kb and up) may take a long time to load, depending on your Internet connection. Adobe Acrobat Reader or equivalent software is required to view this file.

Download and read this publication… (49kb)

Download Acrobat Reader…