Grandparents raising grandchildren strategies for effective service delivery va tech

1. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren:
Strategies For Effective Service Delivery
Megan L. Dolbin-MacNab, Ph.D., LMFT
Department of Human Development
Virginia Tech
Virginia Governor’s Conference on Aging
May 2, 2016

2. Grandparent Involvement in Families
Companionate
Caregiving
Co-Resident
Custodial

3. Defining Custodial Grandparents
• Grandparents who are primarily responsible for all aspects
of the care of a grandchild (or grandchildren).
• Can be formal or informal (majority) caregiving.
• Parents are often absent (skipped generation households).
• WHY?
• Reasons (and experiences) are diverse.
• Usually multiple factors are at work.
• Reasons often reflect societal patterns of marginalization.

4. Custodial Grandfamily Statistics
• 2.6 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren
• 30% increase in the last 30 years
• 1 in 10 (7.8 million) grandchildren co-reside with their
grandparents
• 2.5 million (or 3% of all US children) are being raised by
grandparents
• Grandparents and other relatives save taxpayers about $4
billion/year in foster care costs
(Generations United, 2014)

5. A Demographic Profile
21% live below the poverty line
58% are working
42% provided care for 5+ years
62% are grandmothers
66% are married
39% are over the age of 60
53% are White**
(Generations United, 2014; Pew Research Center, 2013)

6. Issues for Service Delivery
• Legal
• Financial
• Physical (Medical)
• Psychological (Mental Health)
• Social Support
• Parenting/Child Development
• Education
• Housing
• Extended Family Relationships

7. Strategies For Effective
Service Delivery

8. Program Structure
Program Staff
Program Accessibility
GP Beliefs
(Dolbin-MacNab, Roberto & Finney, 2013)
Awareness, Attitudes, Trust
Personal/Structural Barriers
Education, Bias, Rapport
Services, Policies,
Coordination, Advocacy

9. Grandparent Beliefs
• Develop Service Awareness:
• Advertise, using multiple formats – go to the GPs and GC
• Word-of-Mouth (Professionals, GPs)
• Address Help-Seeking Attitudes:
• Talk about and normalize feelings of stigma
• Build Trust in Services:
• Build in transparency – policies, processes
• Offer choices and autonomy whenever possible
• Give examples of results – how will this help?

10. Program Accessibility
• Remove Barriers:
• Provide transportation, childcare, meals
• Offer flexible hours of service – evenings and weekends
• Choose a convenient location – near public transportation, other
services
• Offer Alternative Forms of Service:
• Telephone
• Internet
• Home-Based
• Mobile
• Combined Services

11. Program Staff
• Become Educated:
• Reasons for Caregiving, Needs/Challenges, Strengths/Resources
• Examine Bias and Negative Stereotypes:
• Consider: Who is at “fault?” “Who is responsible?”
• Engage in critical self-reflection (Dolbin-MacNab, 2015)
• Deliver Excellent Customer Service:
• See “Build Trust in Services”
• Build rapport and be respectful – warmth, personal connection
• Focus on successes, strengths, and resources (vs. deficits)
• Offer additional assistance and guidance
• Connect with other available services

12. Program Structure
• Population-Specific Services:
• Address multiple needs of GPs and GC
• Opportunities for recreation and socialization
• GPs are not the same as other parents
• Develop Sensitive Policies and Procedures:
• Flexible custody and documentation requirements
• Avoid restrictive participation/attendance requirements
• Engage in Advocacy:
• Use power and connections to help advocate for GPs and GC
• Implement Supportive Policies…

13. Supportive Policies – Virginia Scorecard
SUPPORTIVE POLICIES VIRGINIA?
Relative Foster Care (%) 6% (Tied for 2nd Lowest)
Education Consent ✔
Health Care Consent ✔
De Facto Custody
TANF Exceptions/Limits (e.g., Time, Work, Assets) ✔ (No Family-Like)
National Family Caregiver Support Program
Guardianship Assistance Program
Lifespan Respite Care ✔

14. THANK YOU!
Questions?
Dr. Megan L. Dolbin-MacNab
Department of Human Development
Virginia Tech
(540) 231-6807
mdolbinm@vt.edu

15. References
• Dolbin-MacNab, M. L. (2015). Critical self-reflection questions for
professionals who work with grandfamilies. Grandfamilies, 1(2), 139-159.
• Dolbin-MacNab, M. L., Roberto, K. A., & Finney, J. W. (2013). Formal social
support: Promoting resilience in grandparents parenting grandchildren. In B.
Hayslip Jr. & G. C. Smith (Eds.), Resilient grandparent caregivers: A strengths-
based perspective (pp. 134-151). New York: Routledge.
• Generations United:
• The State of Grandfamilies in America: 2014. Available at:
http://www.gu.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=yfGpYQNMuxk%3d&tabid=157&mid=606
• The State of Grandfamilies in America: 2015. Available at: http://www.gu.org/
RESOURCES/Publications/TheStateofGrandfamiliesinAmerica2015.aspx
• Note: This document contains a list of excellent resources on grandfamilies.