North Canterbury News: July 01, 2021
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GOLDEN YEARS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>July</strong> 1, <strong>2021</strong><br />
15<br />
Support offered for grandparents<br />
By DAVID HILL<br />
Support is available for those who are<br />
‘‘parenting again’’.<br />
Agrandparentsraising grandchildren<br />
support group wasestablished by the<br />
Community Wellbeing <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
Trust twoyearsago to support agrowing<br />
number of residents being calleduponto<br />
parentfor thesecond time.<br />
Sharon Ward, whoisraising two<br />
grandchildren, wasattendingaparents’<br />
support group through Mana Ake,along<br />
with another grandparentand saw the<br />
need for aseparate grandparents’ support<br />
group.<br />
‘‘Ifind it so amazing.It’s the onlygroup<br />
available forus, but it’snot onlythe<br />
support you get outof, it’sthe opportunity<br />
to talk to peopleinthe same situationyou<br />
areinofparentingagain,’’ Sharon says.<br />
Marie Simpson, one of Community<br />
Wellbeing’s MakaAke counsellors, says<br />
when grandparents step in it is generally<br />
following trauma,whichcreates added<br />
challenges and canleadtobehavioural<br />
issues.<br />
‘‘Grandparentshavetheirmokointheir<br />
care forarange of reasons,soit’s about<br />
providingasafeand lovinghome,but<br />
everyone’s situation is different.’’<br />
Because it is generally considered a<br />
temporaryarrangement,many<br />
grandparents are limited in what support<br />
they are eligible for, Marie says.<br />
‘‘When it comestofinancial support, it<br />
depends on what court ordersare in place.<br />
Sometimestemporary arrangements can<br />
last years,but if they don’t havefull<br />
custodythey may not be eligiblefor<br />
support.’’<br />
Grandparents face different challenges<br />
to otherparents, Sharon says.<br />
‘‘There’s awholelot of emotions<br />
involvedbecause we havetodealwith it as<br />
aparent and as agrandparent, because<br />
Parenting again ...<br />
oftenit’sour own childrenwho haveled to<br />
this situation.’’<br />
Thepressures of raisingher<br />
grandchildrensaw Sharongiveupfull<br />
time employment to meet their needs.<br />
Because she is on her own andunder<br />
age65she hashad to go on aJobseeker<br />
benefit.Othergrandparents are much<br />
older.<br />
‘‘There’s onecouple in their80s and<br />
they don’t know how to dealwiththe<br />
internet andthingsthat pop up and on top<br />
of that they’re dealingwithwhatever<br />
behaviours from their grandchild, and<br />
they shouldbeliving the lastdaysoftheir<br />
lives withouthaving to worry about that.<br />
‘‘There’s no benefitfor grandparents.<br />
Thereisthe unsupported childbenefit,<br />
butit’s not as muchaswhatfoster parents<br />
Support is available for grandparents raising their grandchildren.<br />
PHOTO: COMMUNITY WELLBEINGNORTH CANTERBURY TRUST<br />
get. Moreand moregrandparentsare<br />
supporting their childrenand if it wasn’t<br />
forusour grandchildrenwouldend up in<br />
foster homes.’’<br />
Some of the children do getsupport<br />
through BigBrothers BigSisters of <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong>, which makesabig difference,<br />
Marie says.<br />
Thegrandparents raisinggrandchildren<br />
support group meets three times aterm,<br />
with twomeetingsinRangiora and one in<br />
Amberley.<br />
Thenext meeting is on Friday, <strong>July</strong>2,<br />
from 9.30am at theRangiora RSA.For<br />
more information contact Marie on<br />
0221612670oremail marie.mana.<br />
ake@wellbeingnc.org.nz,orJulieon<br />
0274511567oremail: j.best@wellbeingnc.<br />
org.nz.<br />
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