RESULTS OF A HOME-BASED INTERVENTION STUDY

The phenomenon of grandparents raising grandchildren has increased sig nificantly over the past two decades. The literature documents that he alth, financial, and legal worries top the list of concerns for grandp arents who raise grandchildren. The authors describe the results of a multi-disciplinary study that provides home visitation with social, nu rsing, legal, and educational support to grandparents raising grandchi ldren in parent absent households. This article examines the custodial relationships of one hundred and sixty-three children being raised in sixty-eight families headed by grandparents in an urban population in the South. The data showed that of the 163 children, 70 were in the g uardianship of their grandparents, 40 of the children had no legal rel ationship with their grandparents, 28 were in the custody of the State Department of Family and Children's Services, 21 were in the temporar y custody of their grandparents, and four were adopted by their grandp arents. Recommendations from this study include educating service prov iders and grandparents raising grandchildren regarding the potential f inancial benefits under Title IVE adoption assistance and supporting l egislative reform to increase the stability of intergenerational kinsh ip care. This project demonstrates an innovative approach of combining university-based research with multidisciplinary education while prov iding cost-effective support services through a partnership with the c ommunity.