Supportive Programming during a Worldwide Pandemic and Beyond

Authors

Rainie B. Jueschke, Innovative Solutions for Disadvantage and Disability, Executive Director, Atlanta, GAFollow
Charissa Lynch, Family & Children's Service, Nashville, TNFollow
Anne Stokes, Knoxville -Knox County Community Action Committee, TNFollow
Tracy Van de Vate, Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, TNFollow

Abstract

In the United States, approximately 2.4 million grandparents are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren (Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count Data Center, 2024). Relative caregivers provide an important opportunity to keep families together and avoid foster home placement when children are unable to safely be cared for by parents. “Parenting again” comes with its own unique set of challenges, and the COVID-19 pandemic significantly highlighted and exacerbated these difficulties. There are many organizations nationwide that work within the field of relative caregiving, providing diverse programming designed to address the needs of this unique population. Core principles include strategies to equip caregivers to meet the needs of the children in their home, to combat loneliness and isolation, and to provide individualized services to meet the needs of each relative-caregiving family. The pandemic required organizations to make significant changes to how they delivered services, but the core program principles remain the same.

Recommended Citation

Jueschke, R. B., Lynch, C., Stokes, A., Van de Vate, T. (2025). Supportive Programming during a Worldwide Pandemic and Beyond. GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy, 8 (1).
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/grandfamilies/vol8/iss1/16