A PROFILE OF GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN IN THE UNITED-STATES

This article examines the prevalence of grandparent caregiving in the U.S. and presents a national profile of grandparent caregivers based o n current data from the National Survey of Families and Households, Mo re than one in een grandparents are found to have cared for a grandchi ld for at least 6 months, with most of these having engaged in a far l onger-term commitment, Although custodial grandparenting cuts across g ender, class, and ethnic lines, single women, African Americans, and l ow income persons are disproportionately represented. Multivariate log istic analysis indicates that three groups-women, recently bereaved pa rents, and African Americans-have approximately twice the odds of beco ming caregiving grandparents, Implications for further research, polic y, and practice are discussed.