‘Ageist’ assumptions split families

Families are being split up because social services make ageist assumptions about grandparents’ ability to raise their young grandchildren, according to a report published in UK.

Social workers and local authority panels give greater weight to the “permanency” of adoption, rather than the love, stability and family links that grandparents and other family carers can provide, according to family charity Grandparents Plus.

The report, called Too Old To Care?, says many older grandparents are fearful of their grandchildren being taken away – which prevents them seeking help.

There are an estimated 25,000 grandparents over the age of 65 raising 30,000 grandchildren in the UK, often because of challenging circumstances including parental alcohol and drug misuse, abuse or neglect, imprisonment, bereavement, disability or illness, the report says.

If the children they are caring for were in independent foster care it would cost £1.4 billion in care costs alone each year, it adds.

The report shows how older grandparents face prolonged legal battles, lack of support and financial hardship as they fight to care for their grandchildren.

And it also says that adoption is not necessarily a permanent alternative for children with rates of placement breakdown of between 10 per cent and 50 per cent.

One great-grandmother, looking after three great-granddaughters, was told by social workers that she was not entitled to any respite because she was a grandparent.

She said: “I didn’t have anyone who could say to me, sit down, I’ll take the girls for an hour.” Another grandparent carer, a former district nurse, said: “I didn’t want (social services) to be involved because I worked with them for 30 years and they often make the wrong decision.”

Another grandfather spoke of the agony of his year-long, £18,000 court battle to prevent his three grandchildren from being adopted.

One grandmother who has been raising her eight-year-old grandson since he was born, said of the local authority: “When they come near us from time to time it’s very scary because obviously we don’t want him to be taken away.”

Sam Smethers, chief executive officer of Grandparents Plus, said: “This research reveals the hidden contribution made by older grandparent carers. But it is worrying to discover that many who need support are too scared to ask for it and of those who do, most don’t get the help they need. There is a fundamental lack of trust in the system which needs to be addressed.

“We found a range of problems – from ageist assumptions that they’re ‘too old to care’, through to poor quality assessments and care plans. Yet we know that older people do make good parents for children. They have a wealth of experience and can provide children with love, a sense of identity and belonging and crucially maintain relationships with the wider family.”