There are many grandparents here in New Jersey who are the primary caretakers of their grandchildren. There are a number of reasons that a grandparent may end up in this role. An addiction, mental illness or extreme poverty may make a parent unable to take care of a child.

Under New Jersey law, grandparents’ rights are very complicated, and it can be wise to seek legal counsel when a grandparent wants to obtain legal custody of a grandchild. In some cases, legal representation is also important when a grandparent wants to maintain a relationship with a grandchild against the wishes of the parents.

Grandparents’ rights are complex and they are evolving in some states as more and more grandparents are helping adult children raise their kids, according to a recent study.

The study was part of a collaboration between Brown University and the Russell Sage Foundation. It found that one in 10 American children lived in the same household as a grandparent in 2011. In the majority of those cases, the household was the home of the grandparent.

The increase in the number of grandparents raising grandchildren has been attributed, in part, to the recession. During difficult economic times, it may be easier on parents, grandparents and children to all live in the same household, according to that theory.

Additionally, as single parenting is on the rise, it has become beneficial for many single parents to have their children at home under the care of grandparents while they work.

And, of course, as mentioned earlier, many grandparents take on roles as primary caregivers when their adult children are unfit. In those cases, grandparents often need legal advice in order to come up with a child custody arrangement.

Source: Huffington Post, “Study Says More and More Grandparents Are Raising Their Grandkids,” Nov. 6, 2013