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Grandparents Increasing Serving As Primary Caregivers
Grandparents are taking on traditional parenting responsibilities by regularly providing food, shelter, discipline and guidance, but that can be a difficult task when they don't have legal authority.
August 07, 2010 /Money PR News/ -- With increasing frequency, grandparents nationwide are taking on traditional parenting responsibilities. Rather than providing an abundance of sweet treats and occasional babysitting services, these grandparents are regularly providing food, shelter, discipline and guidance.
According to the most recent census data available, there are more than 600,000 children in California living in grandparent-headed houses, representing nearly seven percent of all children in the state. Almost 300,000 grandparents in the state report that they are responsible for their grandchildren.
The reasons are varied. Parents may suffer from mental illness, struggle with substance abuse problems, face economic hardship or encounter any number of other situations that make it impossible to provide a safe and stable home.
Regardless of the particular reasons, though, grandparents face a number of hurdles when they accept primary caregiving responsibilities. For example, age is often affiliated with health problems, which can make caring for young children difficult. Most grandparents have not planned to raise children a second time, thereby adding unexpected financial stress as they approach retirement.
When grandparents choose to raise their grandchildren without acquiring legal guardianship or pursing formal adoption, these problems are often aggravated.
Adoption provides complete legal authority to make decisions on behalf of a minor. Without such a legally recognized relationship, grandparents may have difficulty enrolling their grandchildren in school, obtaining necessary records, or providing consent for medical treatment.
In California, some of these legal powers can be acquired through more limited measures. For example, with a "caregiver's authorization affidavit," a relative caregiver can be granted authority to enroll a child in school and request treatment by health care providers. However, these limited powers may still leave grandparents unable to make important decisions in the life of a child.
Ultimately the best course of action for any family depends on the particular circumstances at issue. Adoption provides the greatest authority and flexibility, but parents may not be willing to consent to adoption. Other measures may provide the desired authority without cutting out the parent's role completely.
Before making any decisions on the matter, though, it is important to understand the full consequences. Speak to a knowledgeable family law attorney to discuss your concerns related to grandparent adoptions.
Article provided by Diamond Law Firm
Visit us at www.diamondlawfirm.com
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