Help - Where needed !

It is probably impossible to accurately determine the number of children who are being brought up and cared for by their grandparents - because they have been abandoned by their parents or drugs, alcoholism or mental illness have destroyed a caring family relationship.  In many cases the grandparents quietly take control without a fanfare - and often this imposes a crippling cost on retirement incomes.

Sadly, such misfortune is now common in the society in which we live, and yet the financial rules that bestow entitlements for the benefit of children continue to award this money to the actual parents.  A government enquiry may result in a major rules change to channel the money to the carers actually having the children in their care.

It is certainly unfair for those who step into a family breach and deliver regular meals, a clean, warm bed and a hospitable family atmosphere to the child victims of family neglect to be forced below the poverty line to meet the costs involved.  If money legislated to assist with the upbringing of children is being misdirected to those not providing this function, a law change is needed to correct that anomaly.

In many instances grandparents step in because they see actual danger threatening their grandchildren.  The social welfare people are grossly overworked and the facilities to take children into care are stretched thinly.  Many cases slip through the cracks, and when tragedy strikes the result is lurid headlines in the media.   There is also a huge difference in the loving care provided by Nanna and Pop - in comparison with the "institutional " atmosphere of child refuges.

The problem is that a change in the "parenting  pattern" often goes unnoticed.   Behavioural problems within a family are sometimes thought to be temporary and often the grandchildren move into their grandparents home with the intention of a short break restoring order.   The children continue to attend their usual school - and family "problems " are treated with a degree of discretion.  They are not discussed openly.

The fact that this is a growing problem needs a rethink of the rules that apply.  Certainly the redirection of child entitlements should head the list, but the actions of grandparents rescuing their grandchildren from the need for institutional care is actually saving the government a mint of money. It would take much less dollars to add a little compensation for the costs of caring in the family home as opposed to the huge cost of maintaining government care facilities, and easing that burden would be an important tool in the hands of the welfare people in improving child safety.

The grandparent network  is a huge asset in a troubled world.  It is probably the next best thing to Mum and Dad when it comes to child care.  A little judicious spending to ease the cost burden would be the best decision a government could make !