Publications > Press Articles 2002

Grandparents Study

Sunshine Coast Senior, March 2003 p5
Senior Post (WA), February 2003

Hon Larry Anthony, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has commissioned Australia's leading seniors' organisation, COTA National Seniors, 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 Australia 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.