The Enjoyment Rewards of Fulfilling a Custodial Grandparenting Role in the Lives of Grandchildren Removed from their Parents’ Care

ABSTRACT

Custodial grandparenting (i.e. raising grandchildren on a full-time basis) is a global phenomenon. Despite the hardships associated with 24/7 custodial care, grandparents continue to invest in their grandchildren. Why they do so is a matter of much conjecture. For example, it has been posited that grandparents assume custodial care of their grandchildren for reasons of necessity, altruism, aged-care reciprocity, or cultural continuity. This study examines the often overlooked issue of grandparent enjoyment as a motivating force behind custodial grandparenting caregiving investment. The results of our analysis of 88 completed Grandparent Needs, Wellbeing and Health Surveys determined that custodial grandparents’ investiture in their grandchildren is influenced by three types of enjoyment, namely those derived from engagement in the child-centred nurturance of an at-risk grandchild, dyadic engagement in shared activities with their grandchild, and the personal grandparent-centred pleasure benefits to be had from fulfilling a grandcarer role. This study additionally reveals that informal custodial grandparents experience lower levels of closeness to their grandchild/ren, satisfaction with their grandparenting role, and assessment of their state of health than do formal (legal) custodial grandparents. The need to educate custodial grandparents of the potential health benefits to be had from investiture in their grandchildren is discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Custodial caregiving role
• grandparent enjoyment

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Myra Taylor (PhD, MPhil, MSoc Sc, BGE) is a highly experienced Research Fellow working in Edith Cowan University’s School of Medical and Health Sciences and her research focus is on family functioning (parents, grandparents), family, violence, pathways into crime, youth subcultures and the effect that adolescent offending has on them, their family members, friends, and society. This research builds on her expertise in the area of childhood and adolescent emotional and behavioural disorders. Myra is a widely published author and editor in these and related fields.

Ruth Marquis (PhD) is an Occupational Therapy Researcher at Edith Cowan University’s School of Medical and Health Sciences. She has extensive clinical and research experience in ageing and disability. Her current research focus is on age-related health and wellness and how an individual’s social participation is influenced by challenging roles and environments. This research aligns with her other projects around social isolation and health conditions in later life.

David A. Coall (PhD) is a senior lecturer in the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University and an Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Medicine at The University of Western Australia. His research examines evolutionary perspectives on human health and behaviour with a focus on inter-generational effects such as the influence grandparents have on growth and development of grandchildren. He has been described as a world leader in the interdisciplinary study of the role grandparents play in their families and communities.

Jenni Werner is the former CEO of Community Vision, a not-for-profit organisation in Perth, Western Australia. Prior to this appointment, Jenni worked at the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, an organisation committed to collaborative research and translating research evidence into action. Jenni is committed to translating the current research into evidenced-based opportunities for children and grandparents.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Edith Cowan University [ECU-ICS Grant G1001700].