Over 200,000 grandparents raising grandchildren in Louisiana, 3rd in the nation

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Over 200,000 grandparents are raising their grandchildren in Louisiana.

That’s the 3rd highest in the nation, according to a group called Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

On Friday, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren held their 26th Annual Conference in Baton Rouge with the Secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services Marketa Walters as Keynote Speaker.

While grandparents can keep children out of state systems, they say many of these newly anointed guardians face unusual financial, legal, and physical difficulties due to these situations. Legal and custody issues are some of the biggest.

“What do you do if you’re on a budget with Social Security and you get grandchildren in with no assistance?” said group spokesperson Kathy Coleman. “What do you do if you’re a grandmother and you live in a modest one bedroom house and the next thing you know you get a couple of grandchildren?”

Walters said she has much appreciation for the grandparents who take care of their grandchildren.

If you know of someone in this situation or would just like to help the group, visit their website by clicking here or call 225-810-3555.

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