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Grandparents Plus is a national charity in England and Wales that supports and campaigns for the 200,000 grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and other relatives raising children because their parents cannot look after them. [1]
The organization was co-founded in 2001 by Michael Young, Baron Young of Dartington, and the charity's co-chair, Jean Stogdon OBE, a social services manager and Guardian Ad Litem. [2] It is based on The Young Foundation, Bethnal Green, London. The Chief Executive is Lucy Peake. [3]
Due to various family circumstances, including parental death, disability, serious illness, substance use disorders, imprisonment, or domestic violence, relatives who raise children from within the wider family are known as kinship carers. As a result, Grandparents Plus changed its name to Kinship, enabling the charity to represent all Kinship carers and those in crisis. [4]
The charity, funded by the Big Lottery, provides advice, information, and a peer support network for kinship carers. It publishes research and campaigns for improved support and recognition for kinship carers and grandparents in the United Kingdom who provide childcare, arguing that both groups are undervalued economically. [5] [6]
Grandparents Plus and the production company My Pockets launched a film for Kinship Care Week called, 'Something to be Proud of.' The film tells the story of a child's experience with kinship care. [7]