Labor’s plan to support

grandparent carers

March 2011
Labor’s plan to support grandparent carers

In Australia, grandparents provide the single largest amount of child care to grandchildren.
About one in five children between 0-12 years of age receive child care from their
grandparents.

But there is also another group of grandparent carers that need support. For a variety of
reasons in our society, grandparents find themselves having to step in permanently and
help care for their grandchildren.

This means they are effectively becoming parents for a second time – facing the
challenges of toddlers, pre-teens and adolescence as well as managing young adults
again.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported in 2009 that the number of children
and young people in out-of-home care had doubled in Australia in the last decade to
31,166. Almost half - 14,015 (45 per cent) - were in formal kinship arrangements – raised
by relatives. Aboriginal carers represent a high proportion of grandparent carers.

Grandparent care is often the best solution – as they provide a level of love, stability and
continuity in a young person’s life...

They also relieve pressure in our foster care services and save the taxpayer the costs of
providing care.

Grandparent carers are doing it tough. If we want grandparents to continue to support

children and support our society in this way, then we must support them, especially
Aboriginal carers who often face challenges over and above their caring responsibilities.

That is why we are preparing a Grandparent Carers Policy.

NSW Labor believes that care for vulnerable kids is not a private problem. It is a public
priority. Our Grandparent Carers Policy is part of recognising their role in our society and
supporting them.

It is a positive and practical plan to make grandparent carers’

lives just a little easier through new measures, services and
groups to support our grandparents.

Being a parent for the first time is a tough job – but it is

rewarding.

So being a grandparent carer means that you are committing

yourself to a second go at the toughest job around.

Carers deserve our full support, and that is precisely what

NSW Labor will deliver.
What this policy means for our community

A re-elected Labor Government will implement $7.56 million in new measures to support
Grandparent Carers provide a safe and loving environment for their grandchildren who
are unable to live safely with their parents.

A relative or grandparent care is often the best option for children who cannot live with
their parents as this provides them with a stable, safe and loving environment. Children
who live with their grandparents are more likely to develop resilience, feel a sense of
identity and belonging to their family and community and feel more positive about their
schooling.

With a growing number of children being raised by their grandparents, and the continuing
challenges in recruiting and retaining foster carers, the need to recognise and support
grandparents and their grandchildren is crucial.

Without these grandparents, the cost associated with thousands of more children entering
foster care would add more pressure on the child protection system.

ACTION:
If re-elected Labor Government will:

„ Provide $1.12 million over four years to fund community organisations to run respite
camps for grandparent carers and their grandchildren;
„ Provide $1.045 million to offer the award winning Positive Parenting Program “Triple P”
to grandparent carers across NSW;
„ Invest $2.24 million over four years in Supported Playgroups for grandparents in 16
regions across NSW – connecting grandparent carers with each other and also to
support services;
„ Provide $2 million over four years for Grandparent Carer Support Groups; and
„ Allocate $1.16 million over four years for the development of an online Grandparent
Carer Information and Referral Hub and a Grandparent Carer Telephone Line;
„ Work closely with the relevant peak groups, experts and non government organisations
to ensure all these initiatives are inclusive of families from an Aboriginal background
and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

NSW Labor | Grandparent carers | March 2011 2

Our Challenge

Sometimes grandparents are forced to step in and care for grandchildren who have been
neglected by their parents. Many of these children have suffered abuse or neglect and
require special care and support.

NSW Labor recognises the enormous contribution to society made by grandparents who
have custodial care of their grandchildren.

While other senior citizens are enjoying their retirement, many grandparent carers sacrifice
their retirement to provide their grandchildren with stable, safe and loving homes.

Grandparent carers are a growing group and a high priority for the Council on the Ageing,
which has called for additional support services to be funded.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported in 2009 that the number of children
and young people in out-of-home care had doubled in Australia in the last decade to
31,166. Almost half - 14,015 (45 per cent) - were in formal kinship arrangements.

Grandparents who take on the role of primary caregiver are affected financially, socially
and emotionally. The role of grandparent carer is a responsibility that is typically
unplanned and can affect grandparents in the following unique ways:

• Grandparent carers can become socially isolated from their peers who may be
enjoying retirement.

• They may be forced to draw on their savings or other resources put aside for their
retirement to meet the expenses of raising grandchildren.

• Children are likely to be troubled or traumatised by being taken out of their parents’
care, making the job of caring more demanding and stressful for grandparents.

• Grandparents may feel isolated from carers of other children who are a generation
younger and grandchildren may feel self-conscious that their carers are older than
their peers’ parents.

• Grandparents may suffer health problems that are exacerbated by the pressures of
raising young children.

• The generation gap between grandparents and grandchildren may be more

pronounced than between parents and children, and put stress on the relationship.
On occasions, this can lead to a family breakdown leading to children being placed
in care.

NSW Labor | Grandparent carers | March 2011 3

Labor’s plan to support grandparent carers
Grandparent carers, like all kinship and foster carers, have access to a range of support
and assistance from Community Services and non government organisations. This
includes financial assistance, training, expert advice and various support groups aimed at
helping carers.

Last year the Keneally Government provided funding to Link-up Aboriginal Corporation,
Central Coast Family Support, and Grandparents as Carers to provide four respite camps
for grandparent carers and their grandchildren.

The NSW Government also provided a $200,000 grant to Council on the Ageing for a
number of grandparent specific projects including:
• developing activities with Aboriginal and culturally and linguistically diverse
communities to support cultural aspects of grandparents;
• enhancing grandparent support networks to provide better geographical coverage;
• linking grandparent support groups in NSW to other service networks; and
• conducting research into intergenerational activities to provide better connectivity
and support for grandparents.

The Keneally Government also established the NSW Statutory Declaration for Informal
Relative Caregivers last year. This allows grandparents who are caregivers to declare that
they have primary responsibility for the regular care of a child or children. The Declaration
assists them to give consent for the child to participate in activities, such as school
excursions.

A re-elected Labor Government will build on this support by establishing:

- Respite camps for grandparent carers and their grandchildren. These camps
will give grandparent carers the opportunity to meet other grandparents to share
information and experiences and enable grandchildren to interact with other
children being raised by their grandparents.

- Triple P tailored for grandparent carers. The award-winning parent education

program will provide grandparent carers with practical, effective advice on raising
young children.

- Supported playgroups for grandparents. These groups already exist for young
parents and will be adapted to create opportunities to enhance relationships
between grandparents and the children in their care; connect grandparents with
support services; and provide learning and play experiences to stimulate children’s
development.

NSW Labor | Grandparent carers | March 2011 4

 It is proposed to provide an additional grandparent focussed Families NSW
Supported Playgroup in each of the 16 Families NSW Planning areas. The
Families NSW Planning areas are as follows:
• Central Coast;
• Central West;
• Cumberland Prospect;
• Far North Coast;
• Hunter;
• Illawarra;
• Inner West;
• Mid North Coast;
• Nepean;
• New England;
• Northern Sydney;
• Orana Far West;
• Riverina Murray;
• South East NSW;
• South East Sydney; and
• South West Sydney.

- Grandparent Carer Support Groups. Support groups enable carers to learn and
update their parenting skills through sharing stories, family experiences and
information. The groups give carers access to peer support for dealing with the
challenges of raising grandchildren.

- Grandparent Carer Information and Referral Hub. A one-stop-shop via a

website and regular newsletter where carers can access advice, information and
support.

- Grandparent carer telephone line to provide grandparent carers access to a

tailored telephone counselling and advice service.

NSW Labor | Grandparent carers | March 2011 5

 www.kristinakeneally.com.au

Authorised and printed by Michael Lee, 377 Sussex Street Sydney NSW 2000.