The implications of laws, social services providers and schools will be explored in a three-hour satellite video, “Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Legal and Policy Issues,” that will be broadcast from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Oxnard College and at its sister colleges on Tuesday, February 27.
The Ventura County Foster and Kinship Care Education Programs at Oxnard College, Moorpark College and Ventura College are taking part in the video conference, which originates from the University of Wisconsin Extension in Madison, Wisconsin, and seeks to examine some of the legal and policy issues that affect grandparents and the children they are raising. Since 6 percent of children live in households where their grandparents are the primary caregivers, the program will explore the implications of various forms of informal and formal custody arrangements, how laws and polices impact custodial caregivers, and ways to improve interaction between grandparents and child advocates, including lawyers, medical personnel, schools and social service providers.
“Grandparents in several states have found that current laws are not responsive to their special needs,” said Dena Targ, human development specialist with Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service. “Many have been successful at designing and changing laws that make it easier and less expensive for them to receive legal custody. Some of these examples will be shown in the broadcast.”
The program is sponsored the University of Wisconsin-Extension Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, the American Association for Retired Persons, the Brookdale Foundation, Generations United, the Child Welfare League of America and the National Association of State Units on Aging.
The satellite conference is free of charge. Participants can get directions to the viewing site in their area by calling Bea Sandy at Oxnard College at 805 986-5800, ext. 2009, Carol Howell at Moorpark College, 378-1400, ext. 1981, or Deborah Critzer at Ventura College, 654-6400, ext. 3028.
The deadline to call and reserve a place at the teleconference is February 20.
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