ABA Kinship Care Pre Conference Thursday, July 23, 2015 Omni Hotel Washington, D. C.

1. Grandfamilies Matters, LLCProviding Services for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Through Collaborative Partnerships ABA Kinship Care Pre Conference Thursday, July 23, 2015 Omni Hotel Washington, D. C. Annette Saunders, MHS BCHD Grandparents As Parents, (GAP) Liaison Annette.M.Saunders@gmail.com 443-386-9393

2. Face of the Families BCHD Grandparents as Parents (GAP) Relative caregivers 55+ / 18 & under Grandparent headed household Half married/widowed Majority caring for two or more siblings Child came into care birth-three Low/fixed income; retired

3. Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc. First in the nation PTA For Grandparents • Outgrowth of GAP City Wide Support Groups • Meetings held in community-based settings • Serve as a link to community resources & services • Collaborate with community partners to strengthen families and support student success

4. Kinship Care Arrangements Informal Care Formal Kinship Care 1. Child is ward of the state 2. Full disclosure: reason for removal 3. Restrictive foster care parent 4. Information & referral to services 5. Emergency assistance 6. Financial Support 1. Unexpected - crisis driven 2. Uninformed of child’s needs 3. Undervalued – sacrificial 4. Urban education disparities 5. Unprepared for 21st century parenting & social media 6. TANF

5. Grandparent Perspective (Informal Care): Education Gifted grandson 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 • Decision to skip grade • Told she had no voice as grandparent • High school counselor offered no support for college application/financial aid process • Sought assistance from middle school advisor

6. 2 Grandparents Perspectives:Financial Supports Person 1-- Survivor &Disability Benefits Person 2-- Retirement Benefits Paternal grandfather & common law wife (grandmother) together raised the grandson from three months old until 14 years of age, when the grandfather died. Grandmother was denied TANF & health care coverage After legally adopting her grandson he became eligible for health care benefits under Verizon Retirement Plan • When the children were ages 3 &11 their father became ill and four months later he died from lung cancer • 2007 the grandmother was diagnosed with congestive heart failure & cancer • Social Security Survivor Benefits & Social Security Disability Benefits were life savers for the family

7. Educational Support:Grand Partners in Education • Engage Family Members as Joint Partners with School to Improve Children’s Academic Success • Create a New Model of Family Engagement that Taps Grandparents as Leaders to Inspire other Families to Elevate their Voices Kellogg’s Foundation Project combining the efforts of: Generations United (GU)National Center on Grandfamilies Center for Law & Education 3. Grandfamilies PTSA, Inc.

8. Grandfamily Matters, LLCCollaborative Partners Sandtown-Winchester Senior Center Towson University Family Studies and Community Development Department University of Maryland Grandparent Family Connections VALE Waxter Senior Center ZETA Center for Healthy Living • Baltimore City Health Department Office of Aging & CARE Services National Family Caregivers Support Program • First Baptist Church of Cherry Hill • Franciscan Center After school program • HOPE Children’s Foundation • LIGHT Health and Wellness • Maryland Food Bank Mobile Pantry