Second parents

This is a subject very close to my heart and I'm halfway through my second book on the subject. The need for both parents to work, and a rise in the number of single parents, has meant that, for many grandparents, looking after the grandkids has gone from a pleasant indulgence to virtually being parents all over again.

I'm not just talking about a bit of babysitting - a wonderful way for both oldies and grandkids to bond. One in three working mums in the UK now rely on their parents for regular childcare. The cost of formal childcare, especially with more than one child, means it's simply not an option for many. So they ask someone close they can trust.

But these regular contributions can be physically, emotionally and financially demanding. It also severely impacts on time, lifestyle and grandparents' own chances to work and earn money. At the extreme end, there are 200,000 grandparents and other family members in the UK raising 300,000 kids who can no longer live with their parents. This saves the government more than £12billion in foster care so why don't they acknowledge this contribution like other European governments?

Grandparents' rights

In Germany, working grandparents can take up to 10 days paid leave to look after a grandchild in an emergency, or unpaid leave of up to six months. In Portugal, grandparents can get a financial allowance to care for a sick child if parents are unable to do so. In Hungary, parental leave can be transferred to a grandparent in certain circumstances. Yet no such benefits exist here.

This needs to be addressed. Grandparents aren't just fulfilling the role of any old carer. The care given by a grandparent is very special. In 2008, a study from Oxford University concluded that children grow up happier if their grandparents are involved in their upbringing. To ignore this is to do both grandparents and kids a huge disservice.

Source: Daily Mirror