More grandparents raising grandchildren as their own

If you have a grandchild, you no doubt want only the best for him or her. And you may even have very strong opinions about the manner in which that child is raised and educated. But typically, even if you feel the child’s parents are not doing quite the job you think they should, it is likely best to refrain from criticism. However, there are times where you as a grandparent may be one of the only people who can save the child if his or her parents are not capable of acting responsibly.

Sadly, our country is currently in the throes of an opiate epidemic. No single group of people is immune to the addictive powers of prescription painkillers; not even parents. And when a parent falls down the rabbit hole of addiction, it is often left to the grandparents to provide a home for the child.

But addiction is not the only reason grandparents end up acting as guardians; divorce, abandonment, neglect, abuse and parental death can also lead to a child being placed in a grandparent’s home. And such arrangements are not unusual. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 2.7 million children are being cared for by their grandparents.

Perhaps it was not in your plan to spend your retirement years being the primary caregiver to your grandchild, but circumstances have forced the issue. And if you believe that living with you is in your grandchild’s best interests, you will need to take some required legal steps. A California family law attorney can help you take the measures necessary to obtain legal custody of your grandchild.

Source: Fox Business, “More Grandparents Taking Role of ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad’,” Casey Dowd, Sept. 9, 2016