Grandparent special guardians’ experiences caring for their grandchild
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Grandparent special guardians’ experiences caring for their grandchildren; implications on their relationships in their proximal and distal environments
IRAS ID
321847
Contact name
Alexandros Tsefos
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Canterbury Christ Church University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
The number of children leaving care through Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) has increased significantly the past years. Nearly half of special guardians are the children’s grandparents. Grandparents experience this transition differently, as they attribute different meanings and representations to grandparenthood.
Most literature currently available in relation to SGOs in England relates mainly to policies and guidelines and very limited data exist on carers’ experiences of SGOs. Existing literature suggests that more research exploring custodial grandparents relationships with various systems is needed to identify factors of their proximal and distal environments that influence their well-being.
This study will explore grandparents’ experiences of being special guardians of their grandchildren, with a focus on their relationships and interactions in their proximal and distal environments. From a family systems perspective, raising a grandchild is expected to have implications for grandparents’ immediate and extended family relationships, whilst stressors associated with custodial grandparenting may create new strains, amplify existing difficulties, or maintain ongoing problems.
In line with NHS values of ‘improving lives’ and ‘commitment to quality of care’, exploring grandparents experiences may lead to more effective care and services and thus improved outcomes for grandparents and children.
A qualitative design using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) will be used to explore how grandparents make sense of their relationships and interactions with various systems. The research will utilise in-depth semi-structured interviews to allow for a detailed personal account of the participants’ experiences to be explored. Eight to ten individuals will be recruited from the Looked After Children / Edge of Care / Adoption Team in Greenwich Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. Interviews will take place at the service team base and will last 40-70 minutes.REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0256
Date of REC Opinion
4 May 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion