While raising a grandchild in Indiana can be a rewarding experience, we at the law office of Robert Schembs understand that it is not always easy. In the first place, the reason it is necessary for you to raise your grandkids is probably that some sort of trauma has struck your family. You may have lost your child due to death or incarceration, or the judge may have deemed both parents unfit due to abuse or other issues.
Furthermore, you may have had to overcome legal hurdles to gain custody of your grandchild, and you may continue to experience conflicts with the child’s other parent and his or her family. Then there are the financial considerations and the difficulties involved in helping your grandchild cope with the circumstances that have turned his or her world upside down.
It can be overwhelming to feel like you are going it alone. Fortunately, according to AARP, last year new legislation became law to provide help and resources to you and other grandparents in this situation. Its name is the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, and it passed Congress last year with the support of 40 advocacy groups for children and older adults alike. It will facilitate the creation of a federal advisory council that will conduct research and provide resources on best practices for raising children for grandparents and other older relatives.
Due to the prevalence of the opioid crisis in the United States, the law puts special focus upon families specifically impacted by the epidemic. Among the useful information provided by the advisory council will be resources relating to finding mental health services for you and your grandchildren alike, as well as securing custody by working through the court system. More information about family law matters regarding grandparents is available on our website.