GrandUnderstandings

Kinship caregivers are relatives who provide care for minor children. Grandfamilies are one of the forms of kinship caregiving, where biological grand or great-grandparents provide for the care of their grandchildren.

Thank you for visiting our GrandUnderstandings Resource Hub! The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center’s GrandUnderstandings project is designed to provide resources to assist grandfamilies and the educators who support them. Click on the topics below to find grandfamily specific tools and resources.

Infographics

The following infographics are tools designed for you to use to increase your understanding of the school, community and agency resources that are available to support grandparents and other kinship caregivers. They are available in multiple languages below.

English, Nepali, Somali, Spanish

English, Spanish, Somali, Nepali, Chinese Simplified, Arabic

“Getting to Know Your Family” Resource for Schools

This “Getting to Know Your Family” questionnaire can be used to connect to kinship families in your school. If you identify a kinship family in your school or classroom, this can be used as a conversation starter to partner with caregivers in supporting the children in their care. If schools are seeking a Google Form version of this tool, within the Word document below, there is a link to an online Google Form with the same questions.

Research Brief

The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center created this research brief to increase educator’s awareness of grandfamilies. When implemented, the tips and strategies contained in this brief can increase home and school connections, a sense of belonging and the capacity of grandfamilies and educators.

Download Grandfamily School Engagement Brief

#GrandUnderstandings Twitter Feed

#GrandUnderstandings

April 14, 2022

This piece from @NYtimes and post by @GensUnited are so relevant to our @OhioEngage #GrandUnderstandings resources. https://ohiofamiliesengage.osu.edu/grandunderstandings/?utm_campaign=ehe_ohsfec_educators-resource_fy22&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social @AngelaProvenz14

Generations United @GensUnited

The @nytimes published a piece about the impact of #COVID on families. One takeaway: " #kinship navigator programs, funded by states and the federal government, help connect grandfamilies to important services: #housing, #food benefits, #legal guidance."

https://buff.ly/3jBpQK0

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OhioFamiliesEngage @ohioengage ·

March 4, 2022

#GrandUnderstandings: Did you know 239,000 children in Ohio are being raised by a relative? Check out this State Fact Sheet including statistics, programs, and supports for kinship families in Ohio by http://Grandfamilies.org.

🔎Fact Sheet:
https://www.grandfamilies.org/Portals/0/OH%20GrandFacts%20State%20Fact%20Sheet%209.21%20Update.pdf

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OhioFamiliesEngage @ohioengage ·

February 24, 2022

#TBT: In session 15 of our Leadership Summit, Angela Provenzano shared 'Engaging Grandfamilies and Kinship Caregivers' about supporting grandparents as they navigate the education system as primary caregivers. @AngelaProvenz14 #GrandUnderstandings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHxsOJ531CA

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OhioFamiliesEngage @ohioengage ·

February 18, 2022

#GrandUnderstandings: Have you listened to @SSTRegion11’s Podcast Ep 14? Dr. Boone and Angela of @OhioEngage are featured to discuss kinship families and strategies for support in schools.
@boonebbuzz @AngelaProvenz14

https://ohiofamiliesengage.osu.edu/2021/10/08/podcast-grandparents-raising-grandchildren/?utm_campaign=ehe_ohsfec_educators-resource_fy22&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

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OhioFamiliesEngage @ohioengage ·

February 4, 2022

#GrandUnderstandings: Children in grandfamilies often experience better stability, safety, and behavioral health outcomes compared to children living in non-kin foster care. Read more about how schools can support grandfamilies’ basic needs. https://ohiofamiliesengage.osu.edu/2022/02/01/report-how-schools-can-support-basic-needs-of-grandfamilies/?utm_campaign=ehe_ohsfec_educators-resource_fy22&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social