The Parenting Action Plan for Wales acknowledged grandparents as having always played a significant role in supporting parents in raising their children.

As part of the Strategy for Older People, the Welsh Assembly Government commissioned the Beth Johnson Foundation (BJF) to produce a report summarising our current knowledge about grandparents. However there has never been an extensive study of grandparenting in Wales, and BJF were forced to look at wider studies from the UK as a whole.

Quoting from various research studies they found amongst other things that : -

• Grandparents play a key role as a source of childcare, particularly by working parents. Around 60% of grandparents looked after a grandchild under 15 in the daytime and over half (54%) reported that they babysat their grandchildren. Grandparents provide practical support in times of upheaval such as the arrival of new babies, moving house and illness of a parent
• 64% of grandparents gave money to their grandchildren, however financial assistance was subject to great variability according to the values and level of income of the grandparent, and to the circumstances of the child. Grandparents often purchased "luxuries", but some bought necessities including food and clothing or attempted to compensate for different living standards between cousins.
• 90% of grandparents agreed with the proposition that "grandparenting is a very rewarding aspect of my life", with 64% agreeing strongly. They also found that 91% of grandparents who had been in touch with their grandchild over the last two years reported feeling "close to" them, with 68% feeling "very close".
• Almost three quarters (74%) of parents agreed that families with working mothers needed grandparents’ help. Just over half (51%) of all respondents felt that the role of grandparents was not properly valued and 41% of all respondents felt that parents did not appreciate grandparents’ help.
• Whilst grandparents today now have fewer grandchildren, there has been an increase in the number of people who have become grandparents and they are grandparents for longer than ever before.
• The "Pivot Generation". The term "pivot" generation was coined by Mooney et al (2002) for people between 50 and retirement who are combining work and care roles. Two thirds of this age cohort are in paid employment, while six out of ten 50 year olds have living parents and a third have grandchildren. In a survey of local authority staff the researchers found that half had some caring responsibility. One in three looked after an elderly relative or friend, one in six provided care for a grandchild and one in ten did both. Almost as many men as women said that they provided care, but women’s care giving was more intensive.

In December 2005 the Assembly set up a working group to look at the findings within the context of the Parenting Action Plan, and to make appropriate recommendations.

Children in Wales were represented on this group by Tony Ivens,  Fatherhood Development Officer Tel: 029 2034 2434