The Annie E. Casey Foundation estimates there are 15,000 children in Utah raised by grandparents or relatives. Terry Haven is the Kids Count Director at Voices for Utah’s Children. She says family caregivers are more likely to be poor, older, and unemployed, creating financial difficulties when petitioning for child custody in Utah.
Jack Brown and his wife Martha of Sandy are 74 years old and well into retirement.Due to their daughters severe clinical depression, Jack and Martha have been tasked with taking care of her sons for much of their lives, but the Browns could not protect their grandsons entirely as their daughter struggled with abusive relationships.
“Any moment, someone could take these boys away from their security. Grandparents have very little rights, other than to stand in the background, and ring your hands and pray,” said Brown.
The Casey Foundation report found that there are barriers within the child welfare system which work against families. In Utah, for instance, relatives have to go through the same bureaucratic process as any foster family to gain custody.
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Casey Foundation Report: Link
Source and Brown Story: Link
