In 1998, 5.6 percent of all U.S. children under age 18 (3.9 million) lived in the homes of their grandparents. Many of these households experience serious financial strains. This study uses quantitative and qualitative methods to develop a more thorough understanding of the economic experience of grandparent households. Using the 1996 Current Population Survey (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1996) a demographic and economic profile of grandparent households is provided along with a detailed description of the private and public sources of income and benefits upon which those families rely. Focus groups of grandparent caregivers described their families' economic circumstances, the sources of private and public support upon which they relied, and made re commendations for policy makers.
The demographic and economic profile documented the significant incidence and the vulnerable economic circumstances of grandparent households. Pure grandparent households (neither of the grandchildren's parents live in the home) were found to be more economically at risk than either co-residing households (neither parent lives in the home), or households in which parents were raising their own children. An analysis of the different private sources of income and benefits indicated that while grandparent households tend to rely on the same types of private sources as other families, the median values from in those sources were generally lower for pure grandparent households. Grandparent households benefited from a wide range of public programs, including a number of important "safety net" programs that proved to be essential in providing support especially to the neediest of these families.
Focus group participants provided a wealth of information and a variety of important insights that shed light on their families' economic experiences, expanded the picture of where and how they receive support, identified important barriers to access help and gaps in services, and provided important direction for policy makers.
A range of recommendations for policy, social work practice, and research were offered. One primary recommendation focused on the development of more systematic and coordinated approaches to addressing the economic needs of these intergenerational families.
