Assisting District Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2006-09-06 11:55:46.171156-04:00
More than 8,100 grandparents are caring for grandchildren in the District of Columbia with 14.5% of District children, more than 16,700 children, being reared by grandparents.
The AARP DC Legal Counsel for the Elderly (LCE) has published a tremendous resource for navigating the myriad of issues this population faces—be they in the area of finance and income, housing, custody, protecting a child from harm, education, activities and assistance for at-risk children or health care.
"Legal Issues Facing Grandparent Caregivers in the District of Columbia" is a detailed, technical manual, written for the lawyers, social workers and health care personnel who struggle to empower grandparents caring for grandchildren and assist them in asserting their rights and obtaining the benefits to which they are entitled.
The need for such a resource was evident in a focus group AARP DC held with grandparent caregivers several years back. As the grandparents discussed their joys and struggles, the need for greater access to information and services arose again and again.
The project is a successful collaboration between the non-profit LCE and pro-bono attorneys from 2 law firms, Covington & Burling and Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.
To receive a hard copy, call Carmen Diaz at (202) 434-7702 or send an email.
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