Conducted two qualitative studies of African-American grandparents and great-grandparents rearing their grandchildren as consequence of parental drug addiction. Data from 60 grandmothers, grandfathers, and great-grandmothers revealed that only 3 percent received consistent, reliable familial support as surrogate parents. Although respondents found…

This document presents the transcripts from the congressional hearing which addressed four basic issues: (1) visitation rights of grandparents following divorce and custody settlements; (2) the enactment of a federal law to guarantee these rights in the eight states which have no laws; (3) the necessity of a federal law to bring uniformity to the…

Grandparenting and grandparents themselves come in many guises--young and full of vigor, old and ailing, filled with joy or burdened with concerns. For the first time in history a large number of grandparents are living long enough to get to know their grandchildren. Grandparents today are diverse in culture, financial status, health, emotional…

The computer is widely recognised as a cultural tool with the potential to enhance learning, and children are considered to develop ICT skills with particular facility. However, young children still require assistance in order to gain the maximum educational benefit. This study investigates how such assistance was given to 3-6 year olds by their…

Contrasts the experiences of 398 White and 319 Black grandmothers raising their grandchildren. Similarities include age, education, familial relationship to the grandchild, age of grandchild, and impacts on the grandmother's work life. Differences include marital status, work status, and income. White grandmothers experienced more burden from…

This study analyzes structural forces affecting state patterns of parental presence within grandparent-grandchild coresidence by testing demographic, social change, policy environment, and social problems models. The project combines published state-level data with the 1970, 1980, and 1990 Census Public Use Microdata Samples. While factors…

Discusses the responsibilities administrators and educators have to grandparents in charge of their grandchildren. Presents three cases and examines the problems in each situation. Suggests that being a grandparent today can be frightening because, depending on their age and attitude, grandparents have not adjusted to all the changes in…

Surveyed 208 adult grandchildren concerning relationship with their closest grandparent. Used levels of contact and perceptions of closeness to evaluate strength of bonds. Interaction levels were high for most respondents and relationships appeared meaningful. Comparison of ranked means suggests several factors related to strength of…

When parents divorce, grandparents who have bonded with children may be affected, especially when denied visitation. Grandparenting roles and styles, family dynamics affecting grandparenthood, and other factors affecting the grandparent-grandchild bond are examined. Legal and ethical issues are discussed. Implications for counselors and human…

This article examines diversity among 542 African-American grandmothers from the Woodlawn Longitudinal Study. Women were categorized on the basis of their household composition, degree of care provided to grandchildren, and status of primary caregiver to grandchildren during lifetime. Overall, 67.7% of the sample engaged in parenting and exchange…

Purpose: Valuation of life (VOL) represents a construct capturing active attachment to life put forward by M. P. Lawton (e.g., 1999). As old and very old individuals may differ in terms of endorsement and with respect to what makes a life worth living, the present study investigated whether mean levels and the explanatory value of…

This report explores the need for and barriers to the use of mental health services among grandparent-caregiver families. Specifically, this study sought to determine: (1) how children in their grandparents' care are doing, and what their grandparents see as their service needs; (2) how the caregivers' needs--particularly unmet health or mental…

Conducted 40-month longitudinal study following role of grandmothers in 43 families during divorce processes of their children. Found most women provided major assistance to children and grandchildren, with younger grandmothers more active. Analysis of their expectations indicated women became more ambivalent and dissatisfied if they were forced…

This guide is designed to supply information to professionals who work with grandparents. A panel of grandparents and professionals met during a 1-day retreat to review parenting information. The manual describes the situation of grandparents raising their grandchildren, provides a guide to materials addressing some grandparents' parenting needs,…

The increase in grandparent-headed households is receiving much attention as needs and concerns of these grandparents becomes more widely known. This article describes an empowerment training project and its curriculum that was developed for a group of African-American grandparents. The program resulted in strengthened parenting skills, and…