Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Approximately 2.7 million grandparents in the United States are raising their grandchildren without a parent present, with the majority raised only by the grandmother. The proportions of these grandparents are highest among Black, Hispanic, and Native-American families. Data from New York State show 122,000 grandparents are raising their grandchildren, and they are doing so informally, outside of the foster care system. Factors contributing to grandparents’ caregiving include parental substance abuse, incarceration, child abuse/maltreatment, mental illness, and death. In addition, when parents are unable to care for their child, federal child placement laws specify a preference for placement with relatives, and in most instances, this is the grandparent. These families face many challenges including financial strain, psychological and emotional stress, and transitioning to their new roles. The COVID-19 pandemic further intensified these challenges as it impacted both generations. This workshop will discuss the issues that confront these families and the social work interventions that can assist them.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Social workers who take this class will be able to:

1. Describe the reasons why grandparents are raising their grandchildren.
2. Describe the challenges and issues that these families face
3. Name programs and services that can assist the grandparents
4. Describe the roles that social workers can play to support these families

Carole Cox, MSW, PhD

Carole Cox is Professor at the Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University. She is a Fulbright Scholar and Representative of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGGO to the United Nations.  She is the author of eight books and more than 60 chapters and journal articles with the majority focusing on older adults. For many years she worked specifically with grandparents raising grandchildren, having developed, and facilitated with the NYC Department for the Aging, an empowerment training program for these caregivers. The recent COVID-19 pandemic put an extra strain on these families and the empowerment program was offered virtually. The program continues to be offered as it specifically addresses the needs of these families. 

Class fees are listed below:

• Full Tuition - $90
• GSS Alumni - $75
• Current Field Instructor - $75
• Current Adjunct Faculty - $75
• SWHPN Member - $75
• 3+ members registering from one agency - $60 per registration
• Non-Fordham Current MSW or Social Work PhD Student - $60
• Veterans - $60
• Fordham Faculty and Staff - $60
• Current Fordham MSW or PhD Student - $45
• Fordham Alumni Palliative Care Fellow - $45
• Current Fordham Palliative Care Fellowship Field Instructor/Career Mentor - $45
• Current Fordham Palliative Care Fellow or Montefiore Fellow - $0

Continuing Education Hours

Completion of this class will result in the receipt of three (3) continuing education hours. CEHs are not awarded for partial completion of the class.

You will receive the Zoom link for joining the class by the day before the class. You will need a computer and a reliable WiFi connection. The computer may be a desktop or a laptop. It may be an Apple or Windows computer.

If you have never used Zoom before, you will likely be prompted to download an applet, which is a small program that allows Zoom to communicate with your computer. This is safe and you will need to do this to join the class.

It is NOT advised that you participate using a table (e.g,.an iPad) or a cellular phone. The software is not optimized for these devices.

Please plan to join the online class 15 minutes before the start time to be sure that you don’t have any problems connecting. We cannot provide technical support to you and refunds won’t be offered if you have technical problems. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact us at [email protected] at least a few days before the class.