Grandparents raising Grandchildren grows across the Coffs Coast
Support group for grandparents and kinship carers extends to the Northern Beaches as Joy Watson helps navigate a complex system.
Coffs Harbour
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Joy Watson says raising grandchildren is challenging enough, but throw in the complex rules, relationships and the courts and it's no wonder kinship carers can forget to take a moment for themselves.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a support group for grandparents and kinship carers, has been steadily growing across the Coffs Coast and in recent years expanded to Woolgoolga.
Kinship care is a type of care that places a child or young person with a relative or someone they already know.
According to the 2016 census, more than 35,200 children up to the age of 12 were living with a grandparent as their primary caregiver.
Ms Watson raised her own grandchildren for 13 years and knows exactly what it can be like trying to navigate the many issues it throws up. She says the support groups are sorely needed.
Not only do they help people with the practical challenges of dealing with government services, the court system and accessing support, it allows carers speak freely about what they are going through without the fear of being judged.
From time to time the group will invite in a guest speaker from a relevant organisation but there’s no doubt its most important function is offering grandparents the opportunity to talk.
“(It’s great) to be able to come into a nice safe place, a group where grandparents and kinship carers can have a chat about life,” she said. “The wisdom that is in the room is amazing.”
“They bounce off each other, the support each other.”
The level of understanding is critical to the success of the group and Ms Watson said it was important for grandparents and kinship carers to know they are not alone.
“When I walked into the group for the first time, just to know I wasn’t the only one looking after my grandkids (was empowering),” she said.
“You don’t even have to speak about the (specifics of) what is going on in your home to know that the person next to you understands.”
More than 10 years after joining the support group, Ms Watson’s grand kids have all grown up and she has sharpened her focus on helping other grandparents. Not only is she the group’s facilitator Ms Watson is an advocate, confidante and champion for grandparents and kinship carers across the Coffs Coast.
Ms Watson emphasises how important it is for grandparents and kinship carers to take a little time for themselves.
“Its huge. They are putting so much energy into the children and not thinking about themselves.”
“Grandparents and kinship carers, they are like angels.
“But if you don’t look after yourself, how are you going to look after the children.
“Come and be supported by other grandparents and kinship carers.”
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Woolgoolga meets at the Woolgoolga Neighbourhood Centre on the last Monday of the month at 10.00am.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Coffs Harbour meets at CWA Coffs Harbour Branch on the third Wednesday of the month at 10.00am.
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