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Grandparenting in Europe research project

UK UK

United Kingdom / Europe

Grandparenting in Europe research project

Funded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Grandparents Plus has been working in partnership with the Beth Johnson Foundation and with the Institute of Gerontology at Kings College London on a  two year research project to explore the role of grandparents within family life across Europe. Preliminary findings were presented on 28 June 2012 at the European Parliament Outreach office in London.

The objective is to examine how different ‘grandparent policy regimes’ are related to levels of involvement of grandparents with their grandchildren in the following ten countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain and the UK. The research involves in depth analysis of transnational data sets and social and family policies, and will provide new insights into the contribution which grandparents make to family life, their economic and social circumstances, housing and well-being.

The study seeks to address the following questions:

  • How do the living arrangements of grandparents vary within and across European countries and how have they changed across time?
  • How do the characteristics of grandparents vary across Europe in terms of age, living arrangements, tenure status, socio-economic status, education, marital status, participation in paid work, retirement status and health?
  • How does the level of involvement of grandparents with their grandchildren vary across Europe in terms of contact, help and care? What characteristics of grandparents help to explain the diversity of arrangements?
  • For the ten countries to be examined, how do family policies vary, and how are these variations in policy related to observed diversity in the levels of involvement of grandparents with their grandchildren?
 
Promoter: Grandparents Plus

Grandparents Plus is the national charity (England and Wales) which champions the vital role of grandparents and the wider family in children’s lives – especially when they take on the caring role in difficult family circumstances. They work to support grandparents and the wider family by campaigning for change, providing evidence, policy solutions and training, as well as advising and supporting grandparents and wider family members.

 
Partner(s): Beth Johnson Foundation
King’s College London Institute of Gerontology
 
Sponsor (s): Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
 
Website: http://www.grandparentsplus.org.uk/reports-and-publications
 
Contact: Sara Wellard : sarah.wellard@grandparentsplus.org.uk

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