Grandparents rearing kids don't have to do it alone

Lawrence County has a support group for people raising grandchildren.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Census data shows that as many as 500 Lawrence County families are made up of children being reared by grandparents.
Those grandparents, as well as other relatives serving in parental status for children who are not their own, can get some guidance and support from the Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Grandchildren Group.
The group is sponsored by the Penn State Cooperative Extension Service and by Challenges: Options in Aging (formerly the Lawrence County Area Agency on Aging).
The group will hold an open "Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children" discussion from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday at Shelter No. 5 in Pearson Park off Mercer Road in Neshannock Township.
The number of children being reared by grandparents is growing, said Janice Alberico, Penn State Cooperative Extension director for Lawrence County.
Statistics show that, across the country, more than 6 million children are living in households headed by grandparents or relatives other than their parents. More than 200,000 of them live in Pennsylvania alone, she said.
The 2000 census showed 500 families in Lawrence County where grandparents are rearing grandchildren, and many of them are unaware that a support group is available, Alberico said.
Only about 25 of those families participate in the Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Grandchildren Group, she said.
It's designed primarily to help grandparents who have physical and, generally, legal custody of their grandchildren and are working day-to-day to rear those children, Alberico said.
Other relatives who are rearing children other than their own are also welcome, she said, noting she is aware of a number of cases where children are living with their aunts.
Often, it's because a parent or parents are incarcerated, addicted to drugs or deceased, but grandparents or other relatives often also assume custody in cases of child abuse or when teen parents are unable to care properly for a child, she said.
Services
"We provide education, support and access to services," Alberico said.
Some people may be afraid to attend a session for fear that they will lose custody of their grandchildren, but that won't happen, she said.
"We are not the system. We won't take kids away," she said.
Monday's program is open to the entire family -- children and custodial adults. It's free, and dessert will be served.
gwin@vindy.com