Grandparents Plus is a national charity for England and Wales that supports and campaigns on behalf of the 200,000 grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and other relatives who are raising children in Britain today because their parents cannot look after them. [1] This is often because of very difficult family circumstances, including parental death, disability, serious illness, substance use disorders, imprisonment or domestic violence. Relatives who are raising children from within the wider family are known as kinship carers.

The charity is funded by The Big Lottery to provide advice, information, and a peer support network for kinship carers. It publishes research and campaigns for improved support and recognition, both for kinship carers and for the millions of grandparents in the UK who provide childcare, arguing that both groups are undervalued economically.[2][3]

History

The organization was co-founded in 2001 by Michael Young, Baron Young of Dartington and the charity’s Co-Chair, Jean Stogdon OBE, a social services manager and Guardian Ad Litem. [4] It is based on The Young Foundation, Bethnal Green, London. The Chief Executive is Lucy Peake. [5] The name was changed from Grandparents plus to Kinship to enable the charity to fight for the rights of all Kinship carers and those who are in crisis. [6]

Film

Grandparents Plus and the production company My Pockets launched a film for Kinship Care Week, ‘Something to be proud of’, tells the story of one child’s experience with kinship care.[7]

Reports

References

  1. buttleuk, Spotlight on Kinship Care, University of Bristol, Nandy & Selwyn pg 7 retrieved 25/5/2013 2001 Census analysis ref indicates that there were 173,200 children living with relatives.
  2. "Grandparents who become full-time carers plead: ‘We can’t do it all for love’, Yvonne Roberts, The Observer, 21 Oct 2012, retrieved 25/5/2013.
  3. "Childcare: the grandparents’ army", Jenny Uglow, The Guardian, 16 Nov 2012, retrieved 25/5/2013
  4. "Home Help: Michael Young and Jean Stogdon explain why they have launched a new group for grandparents", The Guardian, 18 Jan 2001, retrieved 25/5/2013
  5. "Interview: Lucy Peake, Chief executive of Grandparents Plus", Katy Morton, Nursery World 18 October 2015, retrieved 18/07/2017
  6. "Kinship - why we have changed our name - Kinship - The kinship care charity". Kinship. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  7. "Grandparents Plus launches new film - Kinship - The kinship care charity". Kinship. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  8. "Care for young and old under one roof – it’s what families do", Judith Woods, The Telegraph, 25 May 2013, retrieved 25/5/2013
  9. "60,000 Grandparents forced to give up work to bring up grandchildren", The Telegraph, 12 June 2012, retrieved 25/5/2013
  10. "Grandparents losing out when they take on care of children", ITV Wales, 12 June 2012, retrieved 25/5/2013
  11. "Mother & prison: thousands of children being brought up by their grandparents",Paul Vallely & Sarah Cassidy, The Independent, 19 Sept 2012, retrieved 25/5/2013
  12. "Benefit Support for Kinship Carers and Foster Carers", Community Care, 22 June 2012,retrieved 25/5/2013
  13. "Meet Today’s Truly Great Grandparents", Sally Williams, The Telegraph, 13 June 2010, retrieved 25/5/2013
  14. "Grandparents carers risk financial hardship",BBC News Channel, 3 March 2010, retrieved 25/5/2013

Kinship

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