The 72-year-old from Glasgow, who has looked after her granddaughter for 16 years, said: “If I hadn’t stepped in she would have gone into the system and been pushed from pillar to post.”
She said she believes the work of kinship carers across the country is undervalued and not recognised by the authorities, who would otherwise have to pick up the bill for looking after vulnerable children.
Jun 22 2012 By Craig McQueen
Catherine, Anne, Susan and George at the support group
GRANDMOTHER Anne Swartz knows only too well that blood is thicker than water.
The 58-year-old widow from Dumbarton cares for her three grandchildren, as her own kids were unable to cope.
As one of 20,000 kinship carers around the country, she knows the many difficulties faced by those who take young relatives into their care.
And with this week being Carers Week, shes asking for more recognition for the role they play in making sure the most vulnerable of children get the upbringing they deserve.
“I have two children who have got learning difficulties,” she said.
“In 2005, I took care of my daughters eldest daughter, who had just turned five and was two weeks into school.
8:28AM BST 12 Jun 2012
Every year around 9,000 grandparents abandon their careers to look after grandchildren only to face a lack of support and recognition from the Government, according to the research.
Unlike new parents or adoptive parents, working age grandparents and family carers are not entitled to paid leave from work or financial help from their local authority and are forced to rely on benefits or their own savings to make ends meet.
