"Grandparents Raising Grandchildren": Telling Our Stories - Noreen

Noreen is a grandparent raising grandchildren full time. Her story is one of thousands in BC. What are your plans after your children have grown, left home, and had children of their own? Do you ever imagine yourself – raising your grandchildren – full time? Growing numbers of grandparents are raising their own grandchildren. Why? Sometimes a parent has died, sometimes it is because of mental illness, the stories are varied, but the reality is that these grandchildren have often faced trauma, and neglect. They are kids who desperately need loving care. These grandparents raising grandchildren (GRGs) didn’t plan to be full time caregivers at this stage in their lives. Unlike foster parents, GRGs receive little, to no, financial support. They try and navigate our labyrinth of complicated bureaucracies – legal, financial, and governmental. They feel isolated. Their friends aren’t raising grandchildren. Seniors organizations tend not program for elders who are raising children full time. Seniors housing is adult only. Over the years, Parent Support Services Society of BC (est 1974) began to hear more and more from this growing population of grandparents who raise their grandchildren. These grandparents decided to make a movie about their stories. Help Parent Support Services of BC tell these unique and powerful stories of resilience. Donate to help us continue our work in support of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. http://parentsupportbc.ca/donation