Grandparents Parenting Again Looking Back, Moving Forward

Who Are We?  Grandparents, who have sole responsibility for raising their grandchildren. Grandparents may have legal custody or in some cases may be raising their grandchildren without formal legal arrangements.

The Ask:  Support of a proposal to build capacity within Simcoe County for coordination of support and respite resources for the grandparents parenting again group, an under-resourced and growing population that does not currently fall within any funding streams.

Grandparents Parenting Again Overview  In 2003 Paul Muldoon was commissioned to provide an in depth report to help us understand the context, challenges and life situations of a minority group in our county: Grandparents parenting their their grandchildren.  In 2013, one decade later, Paul Muldoon provided us with a follow up report to help us measure what had changed in 10 years.

Grandparents Parenting Again A look back…  In 2003 Mr. Muldoon confirmed that there are several significant and unique challenges facing Grandparents raising their Grandchildren.  Hidden Minority  Lack of support both formal and informal  Financial distress  Legal challenges  Complex familial relationships  No respite

Grandparents Parenting Again Current View…  Grandparents, Parenting Again Support Groups are currently run by two different service providers in the County:  Simcoe Community Services through the Ontario Early Years Centre in Barrie/Innisfil/Bradford  Ontario Early Years Centre, Simcoe North in Midland and Orillia  E3 through the Collingwood and Alliston Ontario Early Years Centres areas have run grand parenting groups in the past  Many of the Grandparents who attended Barrie’s original group, which formed 14 years ago, continue to attend...  Because they have nowhere else to turn

What Does the “Grand’s” Support Group Do?  Meets once a week in Barrie and Bradford and once a month in Midland and Orillia  Offers support, resources and information: parenting education, healthy living for the active senior and other relevant topics  Provides workshop opportunities by qualified staff and community partners.  Provides peer support to it’s members which eases the burden facing grand-families as they enter the legal arena, mediation with their children or journey through the ever- changing social supports available to families.

Grandparents Parenting Again Current View…  Increased numbers of children being raised by grandparents : In 2001: 56,790 In 2011: 75,185  Currently in Ontario there are over 20,000 grand-families and Simcoe County is home to approximately 20% of Ontario grand-families

Grandparents Parenting Again Current View…  Ongoing financial challenges, kinship families receive minimal financial aid from Children’s Aid Society.  Several Grand families in Simcoe County have sold their homes and/or liquidated retirement assets to finance legal costs  Grandparents who are raising their grandchildren are saving Canadian taxpayers approximately $2.8 billion dollars annually thetyee.ca/News/2013/05/11/Grandparent-Support/

Grandparents Parenting Again Current View…  Complex mental health needs  Last Christmas four grandchildren in our catchment area attempted suicide

Grandparents Parenting Again Current View…  Caregiver Respite for Grandparents Parenting Again  …does not exist  Yet

Benefits of Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren  Grandparent’s provide a foundation which supports A cceptance, B elonging and C ompetence in their grandchildren  These are the building blocks for healthy children

Benefits of Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren  Grandparents have the joy of participating fully in the life of their grandchild  Grandparents can nurture deep family roots that provides a close biological link that supports appropriate social- emotional development

Grand Parenting Stresses  Caregiver Fatigue  Social Isolation  Health Concerns  Financial Strain  Multigenerational caregiver responsibilities  Legal Challenges  Complex familial relationships

Grand Parenting Challenges  Parenting an adult child with addictions, mental illness and/or has experience with the Penal system  Parenting a grandchild who lives with trauma  Parenting a child/youth with a disability

TVO: Grand parenting Documentary WQQ6m5PXw&feature=player_embed ded

Grandparents Parenting Again Future View  A Respite Program to address caregiver stress to ensure grandparents can continue to parent their grandchildren  Respite program needs to be accessible to all Grandparents parenting again in Simcoe County regardless of the grandchild’s needs  Create a stand alone Grandparents Parenting Again Program and remove from under the umbrella of the Ontario Early Years Centres.

Grandparents Parenting Again The Opportunity  To support a stand alone Grands Parenting Again staff position in Simcoe County  A Grands Parenting Again staff is able to bridge supports and services in Simcoe County that improve the present and future well being of children, youth and their grandparents  Dedicated staff position is better able to respond to the increasing needs and changing realities facing grand-families in our communities

Grandparents Parenting Again The Next Step  Support of a proposal to build capacity within Simcoe County for coordination of support and respite resources for the grandparents parenting again group, an under-resourced and growing population that does not currently fall within any funding streams.  Endorsement will strengthen a funding proposal to the Trillium Foundation for a dedicated staff position  Although OEYC Midland/Orillia is not looking to pull the position from under the OEYC umbrella in their area they support the proposal and will dedicate funds to strengthening the program.

THANK YOU

Reflections from Karen Shopsowitz TVO Documentary producer  shopsowitzs-filmmaker-comments- grandparenting shopsowitzs-filmmaker-comments- grandparenting

References  keys-to-successful-single-parenting.html keys-to-successful-single-parenting.html  Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Simcoe County, June 2003, Paul Muldoon  Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Simcoe County – June 2013 Ten Years Later, Paul Muldoon  Video: grand Parenting, producer: Karen Shopsowitz