Caring for the Grandchildren When the Parents Can't
Grandparents can find themselves in the position of full-time carers of their grandchildren for a number of reasons, for example, the death of the parent, parental drug abuse, alcoholism or mental health difficulties, domestic abuse or abandonment.
A report just launched by Comhairle called Supporting Grandparents Caring for their Grandchildren looks at the issues facing these grandparents under the broad headings of Financial Assistance, Access and Custody.
Speaking about the report, Leonie Lunny, Chief Executive, and Comhairle said: "The vital role that grandparents can find themselves playing in the emotional lives of their grandchildren needs to be recognised. Adequate supports, financial and otherwise, need to be put in place for grandparents caring for their grandchildren full-time."
The report is based on feedback from the network of Citizens’ Information Services around the country and other related services.
One difficulty faced by grandparents who have effective but not legal custody of their grandchildren is the discrepancy that exists in financial supports. Grandparents caring for their grandchildren full-time should be entitled to the equivalent of the Fostering Allowance. At present (for a child over 12 years), there is a shortfall of €203 between this and the Orphans’ Allowance currently on offer.
With the escalation in the rate of separation and divorce in Ireland, grandparents, and in particular paternal grandparents, increasingly have difficulty with access to their grandchildren whom they may have been very close to before the marriage breakdown. The number of separated persons in Ireland (including divorced) increased by over 50% between 1996 and 2002. The Children Act 1997 provides that relatives may apply for access to a child, but the Act does not give the right of access, only the right to apply for access. There is, however, growing recognition that in some circumstances grandparents should have rights of access.
Custody is another area that needs to be addressed. Custody is the right to have the child in residence or the right to decide where the child will live. It gives the right to control the child’s day-to-day upbringing. In Ireland, for a grandparent to be granted legal custodial rights, they have to adopt or be appointed as their grandchild’s guardian, which without the consent of both parents, can be difficult.
The report recommendations include:
- Acknowledgement and promotion of the vital role that grandparents play in the emotional lives of children
- Clear guidelines on the financial assistance available from the State that grandparents caring for a grandchild are entitled to, such as:
- The One Parent Family Payment
- Financial support equivalent to the Fostering Allowance
- Entitlement to a medical card for the child / children and the supplementary benefits it offers (as is the case for a child who is fostered or who is in the short term care of the Health Services Executive).
This report is based on feedback from Citizens Information Centres around Ireland and the Citizens Information Phone Service, which are supported by Comhairle. One of Comhairle’s functions is to promote and develop the provision of information on the effectiveness of current social policy and services and to highlight those issues that are of concern to users of these services.
Further Information:
Helen Lahert, Manager, Social Policy, Comhairle.
Tel: +353 1 6059000 Fax: +353 1 6059099
Email: helen.lahert@comhairle.ie.
