GRAND-Families in Canada Partnership

Grandparents and great-grandparents make significant contributions to family well-being in Canada. In some families, they play an integral role in family life and take a lead role in raising their grandchildren in a grand-family. Grand-families are diverse, unique and an important part of Canada’s family landscape.

The Vanier Institute of the Family is partnering with the University of Prince Edward Island and Building Grand-Families Inc. to increase our understanding of grand-families in PEI and how optimize grand-family well-being.

This innovative two-year collaboration will engage a network of support groups to bring together those who serve families, researchers, community organizations and the general public to increase the understanding of how to optimize family well-being in PEI and across Canada.

Goals

• Build awareness of grand-families and their unique experiences raising their grandchildren

• Build capacity of community organizations that focus on or work with children to recognize and be inclusive of grand-families, such as schools, clubs and child care centres

• Build competency of professionals, practitioners and providers such as educators, school guidance counsellors, and health care and mental health therapists

• Build community of grand-families across PEI

Timeline

• The GRAND-Families in Canada Partnership will continue until Spring 2022.

Lead

• Lynne Steele, The Vanier Institute of the Family

Team

• Christina Murray, RN, PhD, University of Prince Edward Island

• Don Avery, PhD, Building Grand-Families Inc.

• Jennifer Kaddatz, The Vanier Institute of the Family

• Nora Spinks, The Vanier Institute of the Family

Project Partners

• Building Grand-Families Inc.

• University of Prince Edward Island