‘‘You try to keep a brave face on but inside you are in bits’’: Grandparent experiences of engaging with professionals in Children’s Services

Tarrant, Anna; Featherstone, Brid; O'Dell, Lindsay and Fraser, Clare (2017). ‘‘You try to keep a brave face on but inside you are in bits’’: Grandparent experiences of engaging with professionals in Children’s Services. Qualitative Social Work, 16(3) pp. 351–366.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325015615397

Abstract

This article presents findings from an evaluation conducted in 2012, of the advice and advocacy service provided by the charity Family Rights Group for families involved with children’s services. It specifically focuses on the experiences of grandparents and explores accounts from grandparents who were either in the process of seeking care of their grandchildren or were already caring for grandchildren but without formal support or recognition. The findings suggest that there is a need to pay greater attention to the fears of such grandparents about children’s services in a context where there appears to be a policy preference for adoption. Also evident is a paradox at the heart of contemporary social work practices towards grandparents. While some felt dismissed and marginalized very quickly by social workers and imaginative approaches to care possibilities did not appear to be pursued, others were carrying enormous burdens of care often for very long periods of time without either financial support or legal recognition.

To strengthen the care options for children and respect the ethic of care that is clearly to be observed operating in grandparenting practices, it is suggested that a more thorough interrogation of the multiple and often highly contradictory meanings attached to family is required on the part of social workers.

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About

• Item ORO ID
• 45289
• Item Type
• Journal Item
• ISSN
• 1741-3117
• Project Funding Details

• Funded Project Name	Project ID	Funding Body
  Evaluation of Family Rights Group Advice Line and Advocacy Service. (K-12-005-BF)	Not Set	Family Rights Group

• Keywords
• grandparents; child protection; evaluation studies; kinship care; sociology of the family; care experiences
• Academic Unit or School
• Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS) > Health, Wellbeing and Social Care
  Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS)
  Other Departments > Research, Enterprise and Scholarship
  Other Departments
• Research Group
• ?? hwpra ??
  Innovation, Knowledge & Development research centre (IKD)
  Children Young People and Families
• Copyright Holders
• © 2015 The Authors
• Depositing User
• Lindsay O'Dell