GRG Awareness & Appeal Week – 27 October to 2 November

The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust New Zealand is holding its first GRG Awareness & Appeal Week next week from Tuesday 27 October until Monday 2 November 2015.

Over 9,500 grandparents are raising grandchildren full-time in New Zealand according to the last Census and the GRG Trust NZ estimates that there are over 20,000 children being raised by full-time grandparent and whanau caregivers in New Zealand.

Nationwide from Kaitaia to Invercargill, the GRG Trust NZ has around 6000 grandparent and whanau caregiver members of local support groups raising around 10,000 children.

“Grandparents take on the care of these children in circumstances where they have been traumatised, abused and neglected by their parents, often because of substance abuse, violence and mental illness,” says Diane Vivian, Founder and Executive Trustee.

Child Youth and Family may have been involved at some point in their lives, but for the vast majority of these children they are not in state care and do not get access to any of the specialised support services and financial support that is available to children in foster care.

“Ironically it is because the grandparents have provided these children with a safe environment that they are no longer classed as in need of care and protection. They still need specialist support to help them overcome the trauma that led to them going into grandparent care just like children in foster care do, but they’re not getting it because they can’t access those services or can’t afford them,” says Vivian.

The GRG Trust NZ provides support services to grandparent and whanau caregivers with an 0800 GRANDS helpline, specialist Field Officer support for advice and advocacy on accessing income support through Work and Income, dealing with grandparent care issues, accessing support in local communities from other community service providers, caregiver education and training workshops, monthly newsletters and information resources.

“Our members tell us that our services are a life-line to them and the demand is increasing at such a rate that we are appealing to the public for support and donations to assist with the costs of providing these much needed services,” says Vivian.

To make a donation to support the work of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust New Zealand and for more information please go to www.grg.org.nz

ENDS

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