events

Our first event, the launch of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Network, was held in Liverpool on 7 March 2008. Attended by 130 grandparents the conference called for a universal non-means tested benefit to be paid for each child being raised by a grandparent.

BBC Looking for grandparents and kinship carers

Blast Films are researching a proposed BBC series about grandparenting in the UK, covering issues from becoming a grandparent to financial difficulties to kinship care. The series will look to explore the universal aspects of grandparenting but we are especially keen to investigate the realities and challenges for kinship carers. We are in the very early stages of research and so are trying to speak with families who have real experience of kinship care and how this affects day to day life.

We would like to talk to any families in which the grandparents are involved in the kinship care of children, but not necessarily as the main carers.

Are you a grandparent who has just taken on the full time care of your grandchild and are settling into a new family life?

Are you a grandparent/ carer who has increasing financial difficulties now that you are caring for your grandchildren?

Are you a family member who has become the main carer for a child with the assistance of a grandparent?

As this is the research stage we are only looking to talk to families informally and off the record. This means that the information given to us would not be used in the series, names would not be published and all confidentiality would be respected. At a later stage we want to find families who are happy to be filmed for the series but at the moment we are simply 'information gathering'.

We want to make the most informative and accurate series we can and that will be possible by talking to as many families as possible and with any help you are happy to give.

I can be contacted either by email at amayhall@blastfilms.co.uk or on 020 72674260. All contact is completely confidential.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read this.