Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Emerging Program and Policy Issues for the 21st Century

In recent years the issue of “grandparents raising their grandchildren” seems to have leapt into the consciousness of researchers, advocates, service providers, policy analysts and the general public. Current estimates indicate that there are 2.5 million American households headed by grandparents (U. S. Bureau of the Census, 1998). This article explores the development of this issue, seeking to (1) explain why it is capturing the attention of some advocates, researchers and policymakers, (2) identify the challenges for grandparent-headed families and (3) explore public policies and programs emerging from a developing intergenerational agenda directed at assisting such families.