Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc.

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Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc.

Empowering Grandparents and Relative Caregivers to Support Children/Youths’ Academic Achievement

Grandfamilies

August 18, 2011 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

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Evolution of Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc.

Baltimore GrandfamiliesCommunity Partner

City Schools Family and Community Engagement

National PTA Urban Family Engagement Initiative

GrandfamiliesPTSA, Inc.

GPTSA

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Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc.

Welcome/Introductions Annette Saunders, Founding President, GPTSA

Grandfamilies: A National Overview Jaia Lent, Ex. Deputy Director, Generations United

Grandparent’s Perspective: Family, School, Community National PTA Urban Family Engagement Initiative Evolution of Grandfamilies, PTSA, Inc. Maryland Kin Connection:

Fred Strieder, PhD, LCSW-C, University of MD School of Social Work

References Contact Information

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Grandfamilies:

Jaia Peterson Lent, Executive Deputy Director

Grandparents & Other Relatives Raising Children

A National Overview

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Who is affected?

Any grandparent can unexpectedly find him or herself raising children

Phenomenon transcends socioeconomic groups, geographic areas and ethnicities

Generations United

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The Children

About 6.7 million children living in households headed by grandparents

For nearly 1 million of these children, no parent is present in home

Higher incidence of physical & mental health problems & learning disabilities

27% live in poverty

Less likely to have health insurance

Generations United

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The Children

Compared to children in non-relatives’ care:

More likely maintain connection to roots

Brothers & sisters together

Stay in the same school

Families don’t give upGenerations United

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The Caregivers

2.5 million grandparents report responsibility for most of the basic needs of grandchildren

60% more likely to live in poverty than peers

67% under age 60 Generations United

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The Caregivers

60% still working

51% caregivers white, 24% black, 18% Latino

36% responsible for more than 5 years

Many challenges

Also many joys and unique gifts

Generations United

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“Other people don’t realize how hard it is…or how gratifying it is.”

Generations United

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Why?

Substance abuse

Incarceration

Poverty

HIV/AIDS

Mental health

Child abuse

Death of a parent

Military deployment

And othersGenerations United

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Caregivers Relationship Status

Without a legal relationship

Legal process can be exhausting Financial drain

Hope that child will ultimately return to parents’ care

More than a fourth of children in foster care are with relatives

Vast majority of children being raised by relatives are outside of the formal foster care system

“Informal” Caregiver

“Formal” Foster Care

Generations United

What about Education? Federal Law (ESEA)

includes grandparents raising grandchildren in definition of parent BUT grandparents still:

Have difficulty enrolling children in school

Are often left out of Individual Education Plan process

Generations United

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What About Education

“I realized this is the first year my grandchild has started and finished the year at the same school…and she’s in the sixth grade.”

Generations United

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Evolution of GPTSA, INC.

Baltimore GrandfamiliesCommunity Partner

City Schools Family and Community Engagement

National PTA Urban Family Engagement Initiative

GrandfamiliesPTSA, Inc.

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Grandparent’s Perspective

Janet Flemings, grandparent with two grandchildren in public school.

GPTSA Founding Program Chair

Gifted grandson Decision to skip grade Told I had no voice as grandparent High school counselor offered no support for

college application/financial aid process Sought assistance from middle school

advisor Challenged granddaughter

Decision to repeat grade Told I had no voice as grandparent No resources to assist with dyslexia Sought outside resources on my own School wanted to use my resources

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Grandparent Perspective

Experience working with schools and parent involvement.

Challenge to get information Information not sent in timely manner

Lack of identity for grandparents Lack of support once grandparent

group started Know that grandparents are at schools,

but invisible from central office down Grandparents can be of no assistance

as volunteers No refreshments provided for meetings No administrators present at meetings

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Grandparent Perspective of GPTSA

Why GPTSA can be beneficial in reaching grand-parents in the community.

An asset to our schools because it has the ability to give grandparents the opportunity to openly discuss concerns. We meet in communities.

Already has a network of grandparents that we see regularly.

GPTSA National PTA Family and Community Standards: Goal # 6-Collaborating with the Community.

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Evolution of GPTSA, INC.

Baltimore GrandfamiliesCommunity Partner

City Schools Family and Community Engagement

National PTA Urban Family Engagement Initiative

GrandfamiliesPTSA, Inc.

National PTA Urban Family Engagement Initiative

Parents: Part of the Solution

Develop new models of parent engagement –locally driven

Mobilize volunteer leaders to address needs important to each community

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A catalyst for mobilizing the Urban

Community

National PTA Urban Family Engagement Initiative

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Free community –wide events that allow families the opportunity to increase their understanding of meaningful parent involvement and partner collaboration ;;pw e events that rents and caregivers to effectively m

“The information that I learned from attending the PTA Parent Academy was information that I needed when I was raising my children... When I got home and told my great-grandson what I had learned, he said to me, ‘Granny, why didn’t you take me with you? That’s the kind of information I need to know for myself.’”

A. Foster, Great-grandparent and Founding GPTSA Treasurer

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Evolution of GPTSA, INC.

Baltimore GrandfamiliesCommunity Partner

City Schools Family and Community Engagement

National PTA Urban Family Engagement Initiative

GrandfamiliesPTSA, Inc.

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Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc.

Chartered May, 2011 Seven Member Executive Board Year-Round Operational Calendar Monthly Executive Committee

Meetings Membership $12 a year Diverse Membership Three General Membership Meetings www.grandfamiliesptsa.org

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GPTSA Strengths

Empowering grandparents and community members to proactively become informed, trained leaders and advocates for education

Service Learning Training and Opportunities for Students

Family & Community Collaboration Intergenerational in scope -Community

Partners Approach

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GPTSA Collaborating With Community

GPTSAEverychild.o

nevoice

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General Membership Meeting Sites

Cherry Hill,

South Baltimor

e

• Faith Based SiteClare

CourtStone House

North East

• Intergenerational Community

Johnson Square

AcademyWest

Baltimore

• Early Childhood Learning Center

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Children/Youth Benefits

Learn how to become responsible accountable

Develop hopes, dreams and aspirations Service Learning Training and

Opportunities Advocacy/leadership development

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GPTSA Challenges

Independent of a Specific School Affiliation

No PTA Council Digital Divide - Technology Funding

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Challenges Grandfamilies Face

Grand-families

Housing

FoodHealth Issues

School

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Strengthening Family Connections: Enhancing Our Grandchildren’s Future

Frederick H. Strieder, M.S.S.A.,

Ph.D. Program Director, Family

Connections

Grandparent Family Connections

Trauma Adapted Family Connections

University of Maryland School of

Social Work

Ruth H. Young Center for Families

and Children

Interaction Components Understand families in their

context Develop a knowledge base

about all aspects of the families-in-context

Develop a model responsive to families’ needs

Use current exemplars to provide guidanceUM SSW

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• High stress• Daily hassles • Adverse life events • Financial instability • Inadequate resources • Legal uncertainty • Impact of discrimination • Multiple traumas• Parental stress• Intergenerational conflict

• Spirituality• Social network• Parenting competence• Attitude toward

parenting• Family functioning• Attitude toward change• Caregiver physical

health• Caregiver mental health

RISK FACTORS PROTECTIVE FACTORS

Family Issues

UM SSW

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Contextual Risk

Persons living in urban poverty share increased risk for exposure to daily hassles and strains related to meagerresources, crowded conditions, etc.;

• The challenges associated with hardship conditions and exposure to traumas negatively affect individual functioning (child and adult) by increasing distress;

• Increased parental distress attenuates positive parenting and, in turn, negatively influences family functioning; and

• Parental and family functioning are associated with child outcomes by increasing or reducing risk for development of emotional and/or behavior problems.

(Whittlesey, S.W., et al.,Levendosky, A.A. and S.A. Graham-Bermann, Erel, O. and B. Burman) (in Kiser, 2006)UM SSW

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Parenting Practices Models Strong relationship between social support and

grand- parenting practices(Ramaswamy, Bhavnagri, & Barton, 2008)

“Aging morale mediates the influence of social support on grand parenting practices” (Ramaswamy, Bhavnagri, & Barton, 2008)

Increasing positive parent-child interactions and emotional communication skills, teaching time out and parenting consistency, and skill practice in sessions associated with larger effects(Kaminsky, Valle, Filene, & Boyle,2008),

UM SSW

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Making Place Matter Through Maryland Family Kin Connections National U.S. Children’s Bureau Grant Initiative in 7 Maryland jurisdictions ( Baltimore

City, Baltimore Co., Prince George's Co., Montgomery Co., Washington Co. & Charles Co.)

Serving relatives who are caring for family members (formal and informal care)

Navigator responding to caregivers seeking assistance

Replicate 3 month Family Connections

UM SSW

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Caring for Others as a Positive Experience (COPE)

Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health National Institute of Nursing Research 1R01NR012256-01 Revised

Ohio, Texas, Californian, & Maryland 126 grandmothers and grandchild Participate in 10 week group Interviews before and after the group and every

6 months to 2 years Understand the benefit of parental cognitions,

behavior strategies, or support and information in caring for grandchild

UM SSW

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Federal Sources of Support

Respite Services Food and

Nutrition programs

Health Care Child Care Specialized

Housing Social Security

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Foster Care/Child Welfare

Family Connections Grants

National Family Caregiver Support Act

Generations United

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4th National GrandRally, September 15th www.grandrally.org

Join us on September 15th at 1:00 p.m. at the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., as grandparents and other relative caregivers from across the country take part in the 4th National GrandRally.

Generations United

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Collaborating with Community Partners

Expanding Circle of Support

National PTSAUrban Family Engagement Initiative

GPTSALeadership/Advocacy Development

Advocacy and

LeadershipDevelopme

nt

UFIEEquipping

Supportive

Services

Addressing the Need Impacting Change

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National Organizations

Generations United www.gu.org AARP www.aarp.org Brookdale Foundation

www.brookdalefoundation.org Children’s Defense Fund

www.childrensdefense.org Child Welfare League of America www.cwla.org Grandfamilies of America

www.grandfamiliesofamerica.org National Committee of Grandparents for

Children’s Rights www.grandparentsforchildren.org

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References

Cohen, J. A. , Mannarino, A. P., & Deblinger, E. (2006). Treating Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Children and Adolescents. New York: The Guilford Press.

DePanfilis, D., & Dubowitz, H. (2005). Family Connections: A program for preventing child neglect. Child Maltreatment, 10, 108-123.

Hayslip, B. & Kaminski. P. (2008). Epilogue. In B. Hayslip Jr. & P. Kaminski (Eds.), Parenting the Custodial Grandchild Implications for Clinical Practice, 285-289. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Henggeler, S. W., Schoenwald, S. K., Borduin, C. M., Rowland, M. D. & Cunningham, P. B. (1998) Multisystemic Treatment of Antisocial Behavior in Children and Adolescents. New York: The Guilford Press.

Kaminsky, J. W., Valle, L.A. Filene, J. H. & Boyle, C. L. (2008), A Meta-analytic Review of Components Associated with Parent Training Program Effectiveness. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36, 567-589.

Kiser, L.J. & Black, M.M. (2005). Family Processes in the midst of urban poverty: What does the trauma literature tell us? Aggression ad Violent Behavior, 10, 715-750.

Ramaswamy, V., Bhavnagri, N. & Barton, E. (2008) Social Support and Parenting Behaviors Influence Grandchildren’s Social Competence. In B. Hayslip Jr. & P. Kaminski (Eds.), Parenting the Custodial Grandchild Implications for Clinical Practice, 165-178. New York: Springer Publishing Company.

Sheidow, A. J. & Woodford, M. S. (2003). Multisystemic Therapy: An Empirically Supported, Home-Based Family Therapy Approach. The Family Journal: Counseling and Therapy for Couples and Families, 11, 257-263.

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Contact Information

Annette Saunders, President

Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc

823 Cherry Hill Road

Baltimore, MD 21225

[email protected]

443-386-9393

Jaia Peterson Lent

Deputy Executive Director

Generations United

1331 H St. NW Suite 900

Washington DC 20005

202-777-0115

[email protected]

www.gu.org

Janet Flemings, Program ChairGrandfamilies PTSA, Inc823 Cherry Hill RoadBaltimore, MD [email protected]

Frederick H. Strieder, Ph.D., M.S.S.A., LCSW-C

Clinical Associate Professor, University of MD

Baltimore School of Social WorkDirector, Family Connections at

Baltimore525 West Redwood StreetBaltimore, Maryland 21201Phone: 410-706-5479Fax: 410-706-1462 

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Questions and Answers

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