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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

One consequence of intimate/domestic violence is that injured and/or murdered parents leave behind bereaved and/or injured children. In many instances, grandparents are left to raise those children. This formidable task is shared by approximately 100,000 grandparents across the United States. Most of the information and support organizations focus on grandparents, although it is recognized that other relatives and family friends sometimes become unexpected caregivers for those children. Some resources for grandparents raising their grandchildren include:

Guidelines and Information for Parenting Grandchildren

• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (AARP)
• GrandsPlace
• Grand Parents Again
• Directory of Grandparent Support Group Information (GrandsPlace)
• Off Our Rockers: A Newsletter for Grandparents Who Are Raising Their Grandchildren
  (Elaine Shelton; "Christian format" newsletter)

Specific Concerns in Cases of Domestic/Intimate Violence

• Problems Associated with Children's Witnessing of Domestic Violence
  (Domestic Violence.net, Jeffrey L. Edleson, University of Minnesota School of Social Work)
• Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
  (Health Department of Western Australia Family and Domestic Violence Training Package)
• Effects of Domestic Violence on Children (Breaking the Cycle, Inc.)

Ways to Defuse Emotions

• Domestic Violence is Everybody's Business (State Farm Insurance)