Grandparents support group started in Radford to help those raising their grandchildren

Nearly 68,000 grandparents in Virginia are primary caregiver for grandchildren

RADFORD, Va. – A new support group is available for Radford grandparents raising grandchildren. 

Wednesday is their first meeting at Presbyterian Church of Radford. The purpose is to connect those families to resources and equip them with knowledge and skills that will make life at home a little easier. 

Roughly 150 households in Radford are made up of grandparents raising grandchildren.

"They are not alone, they can find other peers their age that are doing the same thing they can talk to and consult with discuss what their experiences are with children in different developmental stages. The other hope is that we can let them know about different issues that teenagers, young children, families are facing," said Rebecca Moore, integrative health liaison with NRVCS.

Plans are for the support group to meet the first Wednesday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon at the church. There are similar groups in Dublin and Pulaski. 

Information from NRVCS:

Statewide data from 2017 indicates that nearly 68,000 grandparents in Virginia are currently serving as the primary caregiver for their grandchildren. A significant number of these family situations have developed in the wake of the opioid crisis, as scores of parents with addiction have either overdosed or been incarcerated for substance-related charges.

Radford, of course, is not immune to this growing trend. In fact, estimates from the most recent U.S. Census data show that roughly 150 households in Radford are comprised of grandparents raising grandchildren.


About the Author:

Irisha joined the WSLS news team in January 2017 after spending four years as a reporter in Georgia.