A Generation of Grandparent Carers - CareforKids.com.au®

A Generation of Grandparent Carers

Increasing numbers of working parents and single parents, the high cost of child care and a shortage of child care places for the under twos in many metropolitan areas means that grandparents are taking on a lot more than golf, bowls and knitting in their dotage.

For many grandparents, work doesn't stop in their 60s. In fact, it's just beginning…again.

Our last Child Care and Workforce Participation Survey revealed that almost 15% of children are cared for at least part time by their grandparents.

The statistic may well be higher in some areas of the country with recent quotes in the media saying that one in five children are cared for by grandparents and in South Australia, the first playgroup for grandparents has opened in Adelaide, created due to the rising number of grandmothers and grandfathers caring for their working children's offspring.

Dernancourt Grandparents Playgroup organiser Carol Lang recognized the need for a place where "grandparent carers" could mingle with other grandparents and make their daily child care routine more sociable. She said in an interview with The Adelaide Advertiser that the group allowed grandparents to mingle with people of their own generation.

"It's nice for grandparents to share their own grand-parenting experiences together," she said. "Grandparents have always been important in family, but they have an even more important role in caring for grandchildren now because of the increasing number of sole parent families, or where both parents work to pay the mortgage. It takes the financial strain off their children and helps out where parents and grandparents want to limit the amount of time a child spends in childcare."

The national CEO of the Council on the Ageing, Ian Yates said the trend for grandparent-specific playgroups recognised their "enormous contribution" towards caring and raising children.

"It also gives them a different perspective on life and a sense of history, while often grandchildren are quite good at helping grandparents deal with things such as new technology", he said.

Grandparents are usually more than happy to help their children with child care, but they do often feel put upon, although they would probably never say so. There is an expectation that they have nothing to do with their days and would therefore love the opportunity to care for their grandkids.

The fact is that most grandparents have worked for the last 40 years and also raised their own families. Not only that, but due to financial pressures, many grandparents don't actually stop working after pension age.

They are much more likely these days to have paid jobs, at least part time, and they then look after their grandchildren in their "spare" time.

There's no doubt that grandparents can offer a huge amount of nurture, stability, knowledge and experience to children, but the daily toll on them both physically and emotionally can be huge. Looking after a two-year old is hard work! Let's make sure we appreciate them. Grandparents, we salute you.

If you are keen to set up a Grandparents Playgroup click here and let other G/Dad's and G/Mum's know your location.

Information for Grandparent Carers

If you are a grandparent who is the main carer of a child (i.e. you have majority responsibility in lieu of the child's parent, but not if you care for the child while its parent is working) you can claim child care benefit and child care rebate as if you were the parent and the work/study test is waived.

Grandparents who have the primary responsibility for raising and caring for a grandchild may be entitled to additional assistance with the costs of approved child care.
To find out more click here or call the Family Assistance Office on 13 6150 or visit the FAO website.