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May 2003 update, plus notes from Logan Learning Circle with indigenous grandmothers
Myth buster
Brochure
Workshop dates
Survey Form - fill out a questionnaire online, or by phone or mail if you prefer
Media release 4 February 2003

Grandparents raising grandchildren brochure

Many grandparents take on the role of raising their grandchildren. This may be because the children's parents can no longer care for them, e.g. through death, ill health or drug or alcohol abuse. Grandparents can suffer considerable strain as they cope with often traumatised children and their own grief and loss, and anger.

This can be at a time when these grandparents still have other children at home or maybe they are enjoying freedom from family responsibilities, success at work or a well earned retirement. They suddenly face major upheaval and considerable extra costs associated with raising children, especially financial, legal and social costs, with little or no outside support.

They may feel that no one else understands what they are going through; they may be worried about other people's reaction to what has happened in their family. And they have to work their way, often unassisted, through the bureaucratic minefield of family law, taxation and family support payments. Grandparents raising grandchildren may end up feeling isolated and overwhelmed, not knowing what support may be available.

Report to the Minister

Both Federal and State governments are concerned about the difficulties faced by grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. They recognise that these grandparents keep their grandchildren within the children's own family, with little or no demand on government services.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, the Hon Larry Anthony has asked COTA National Seniors to talk to grandparents and then report on:

Workshops for grandparents

COTA National Seniors is working with the Councils on the Ageing (COTAs) in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia and grandparent support groups in those States to gather information about grandparents' experiences in raising their grandchildren. We invite grandparents to participate in a program of structured workshops in the capital cities as well as in regional areas.

Some State COTAs will also hold a phone-in for those grandparents who are not able to attend a workshop, especially those in isolated and remote areas.

COTA National Seniors also invite individual grandparents to put forward their opinions and ideas. They can answer a simple questionnaire based on the questions discussed at the workshops or they can tell their own story about their experiences of raising grandchildren. The questionnaire is on the COTA website.

We will report to the Minister by the end of June 2003.

Contact details

Project officer Margot Fitzpatrick

COTA National Seniors
Level 2, 3 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne Victoria 3004
phone (03) 9820 2655 fax (03)9820 9886
email mfitzpatrick@cota.org.au.

Or contact the Council on the Ageing in your State - see below.

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GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN

Grandparents - Have your say, attend a workshop, ring in

Western Australia

South Australia

New South Wales

Queensland

Victoria

State COTA Offices and Project Officers

New South Wales - Prue Fairlie 02 9286 3860

Queensland - Diana East 07 3221 6822

South Australia - Karen Richardson 08 8232 0422

Western Australia - Anne Williams 08 9321 2133

COTA National Seniors - Margot Fitzpatrick 03 9820 2655

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Grandparents study

Media release - Tuesday 4 February 2003

Hon Larry Anthony, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has commissioned Australia's leading seniors' organisation, COTA National Seniors(1), to investigate the experiences and needs of grandparents who have taken on a significant, sometimes fulltime, caring role for their grandchildren.

Spokeswoman, Patricia Reeve, says: " The grant will enable us to conduct a series of forums and seminars across Australia to gather information on the experiences of grandparents. These will also provide opportunities for networking and sharing of experiences. The forums would involve and benefit from the work of existing grandparent self-help groups.

"Many such small groups are isolated from other groups and could benefit from the resources and experiences of others."

"We will use the experiences and results of the meetings to report to the Minister on how government could best respond to the needs raised. These could be in areas of financial and legal issues, support which may be required and any impediments to the well-being of the children or their grandparents."

"This Project is to be completed by June 2003. It will contribute to our on going work with grandparents. Over the next two years we hope to work with more grandparents, with the Australian Early Childhood Association and other organisations, on a more comprehensive project."

"Our aim is to explore the most effective ways of enabling grandparents to tap into the expertise and support of a wide range of children's services, seniors' groups and community organisations," Patricia Reeve concluded.

1. Council on the Ageing (COTA) and National Seniors Association have formed a partnership to promote the wellbeing of seniors. Combined membership of the Partnership includes 1500 seniors organisations and over 250,000 individuals over the age of 50 years.

This release also appeared as articles in Sunshine Coast Senior, March 2003 and Senior Post (WA), February 2003

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Copyright © 2003 COTA National Seniors. All rights reserved.
Date: 27 March 2003
Revised: 22 May 2003

COTA National Seniors Policy Secretariat (formerly Council on the Ageing (Australia))
Level 2, 3 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne Vic 3004
Tel (03) 9820 2655 Fax (03) 9820 9886
email cota@cota.org.au
www.cota.org.au