COLUMBUS, Ohio – Most grandparents never imagine they'll have to raise their grandchildren, but it's becoming more common for them to step up when the mother and father are unable.

In Ohio, nearly 7 percent of children are being raised by grandparents or other kinship providers.

Patrick Donovan, kinship coordinator at Muskingum County Children Services and co-president of the Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition, says these are children who often come from situations where they suffered trauma or emotional distress and need special supports.

"The parent was not able to care for that child, so there's a lot of issues that these children face,” he explains. “It could be a pretty vast array of services that a lot of these caregivers will need to be able to provide a good, nurturing environment."

Donovan says kinship caregivers need help with health insurance, financial assistance, employment services and mental health care.

Today at the Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition Bi-Annual Conference in Columbus, caregivers, professionals and local leaders are connecting and learning about resources, services and opportunities available that can ensure kinship families receive the support they need to provide a good home.

Natalie Latham, a grandparent kinship provider from Zanesville, brought her four grandchildren into her home six years ago, and has legal custody.

She says without the assistance of the Kinship Program it would have been nearly impossible to care for the children and she's grateful they've been able to stay together as a family.

"After having to go through all that emotional turmoil with separating from a biological parent,” she says, “I wouldn't even be able to tell you how important I think it is to have a family member step in, instead of a perfect stranger."

Donovan says resources like today's conference are helping to create more situations where foster children stay with loved ones. He adds that it's been proven time and time again that children in a kinship care situation have better outcomes.

"When I say better outcomes, that means they do better in school,” he says. “There are less negative behaviors in that we see in school, and overall they just become more productive citizens for our local communities."

September is Grandparent Kinship Month.





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Virginia's General Assembly is taking up a bill to address outcomes for kids in foster care.

Previous legislation either failed to pass or was watered down in favor of further research on the issues. House Bill 893 would require Virginia's Judicial Council to adopt new standards for attorneys to qualify to represent parents in child dependency cases.

Valerie L'Herrou, deputy director of the Center for Family Advocacy at the Virginia Poverty Law Center, described the impact it can have on families.

"When parents have better legal representation, the children achieve their permanency goal faster," L'Herrou pointed out. "On average, four months faster."

She pointed out the faster turnaround can reduce state foster care operation costs. Typically, Virginia spends $305 million annually on foster care. Most opposition to previous bills has subsided, in light of state research about the extent of the issue. The bill passed the House of Delegates and has been referred to the Senate Committee for Courts of Justice.

With more than 5,000 children in foster care, L'Herrou argued now is the time to act. She added if this bill passes, it could serve as a springboard for future improvements to the system.

"I think this will start giving judges information that they need in order to effectively decide cases," L'Herrou emphasized. "When a case goes to court, you're hearing from both sides, and if you only hear from one side, then you're getting an incomplete picture."

The bill would also raise the rate of compensation for attorneys taking such cases. In the meantime, L'Herrou stressed programs are providing parents with sufficient legal representation. The Family Preservation Project has been filling the gap by taking what she calls a "holistic approach" to family separation cases.

During February, which is National Parent Leadership Month, the nonprofit Parents Anonymous is celebrating the successful launch of the new National Parent and Youth Helpline.

The Helpline has received more than 19,000 calls in its first few months. On Saturday, the group cut the ribbon on its new headquarters in Pasadena.

Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., spoke at the event, saying National Parent Leadership Month is the perfect time to reassure families they are not alone.

"It is a time for them to learn that there are resources available," Chu noted. "You can change your life around and feel better yourself, but also help your children live better lives."

Parents Anonymous created National Parent Leadership Month 30 years ago. The nation's 174 million parents and young people who need emotional support can call or text 855-427-2736 or live-chat 24/7 on the website.

Antonia Rios, chair of the national and California parent leadership teams for Parents Anonymous and a mother of seven, said she overcame decades of trauma with the help of counselors at Parents Anonymous.

"Parents Anonymous has provided me the emotional support so that I felt safe to open up," Rios explained. "I didn't feel judged, or revictimized. I felt like I could talk about what it was like for me, and then move past it."

The federal Administration for Children and Families recently awarded Parents Anonymous a five-year, $10 million grant to launch and operate the National Parent and Youth Helpline.

Wisconsin is among the states without a defined formula for deciding alimony payments through divorce court proceedings.

A new report says without that predictability, some people might not be getting a fair shake.

Custody X Change, an online firm that helps families navigate divorce, is out with a new analysis of alimony laws across the country.

The company's Managing Editor Shea Drefs said only about a third of states have a formula on the books.

The remaining states, including Wisconsin, essentially give judges discretion to sign off on an amount without a guideline.

Settlement agreements often take shape beforehand, but Drefs said that's not always the case.

"If you can't reach an agreement, because many people who are divorcing aren't on super great terms," said Drefs, "and they go to a judge and they say, 'Okay, you decide what should the alimony amount be.' If that's you going in, you have no idea what to expect."

Drefs said this can be especially problematic for those who can't afford an attorney to guide them through negotiations.

The report also notes that of the states that do have a formula, only 10 have guidelines for how long payments should continue.

The authors recommend implementing policies in states where there are none, and for ongoing assessments of existing formulas.

Drefs said in cases where someone isn't able to secure fair terms, whether that's the person receiving the payments or the other half responsible for them, it can have a lasting effect.

"Having bad alimony arrangements can have an impact on each of the ex-spouses," said Drefs, "on their children - and it can have ripple effects."

That might include housing instability or other forms of financial hardships.

Drefs said while existing guidelines can help a judge make a decision, there's still flexibility to consider traditional factors, such as income levels for both spouses, their ages, and the length of the marriage.




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