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We searched the literature for curricula and teaching materials
on grandparents raising grandchildren. We looked for written
workshop curricula with three components. First, it needed
to be obviously research-based, that is references
to the empirical data that support the theoretical and experiential
learning components of the curricula are included in the
curricula and are accessible. Second, the curricula needed
to have some evidence of program effectiveness with
grandparents and with grandchildren. Questions included:
How did the authors of the curricula assess their program
impacts? What program evaluation tools did they use? What
were the validity and reliability psychometric properties?
Third, the curricula needed to be ready for a busy CSUCE
Agent or other professional to pick up and teach to
grandparents who are raising their grandchildren across
Colorado. The curricula needed to be complete and ready
for them to pick up and use. Additional questions included-Is
training available? At what cost? When? Where? Was the target
audience grandparents who were raising their grandchildren?
We searched the published research literature for as far back
as computer literature searches went and the World Wide Web.
We asked colleagues on various list serves for curricula they
recommended. We found two grandparents raising grandchildren
curricula.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren was developed
by Dena B. Targ, Mary Brintnall-Peterson, and Margaret Hollridge.
The curriculum is available from AARP, 601 E. St. NW, Washington,
DC, 20049. Suggested target audiences are grandparents who
are raising grandchildren and professionals who are interested
in responding to the needs of grandparents raising grandchildren.
Program goals for each of the three modules are different.
The goals for Module 1 are to develop a sense of community
among participants, to identify issues and concerns of grandparents,
and to identify resources and support that grandparents
need. The goals for Module 2 are to encourage collaboration
among participants, to identify local community support
available for grandparents, to identify areas that need
to be addressed by the community, and to develop an action
plan for addressing these concerns. Module 3's goals are
to identify state and national responses and resources available
to grandparents, to add to the action plan, and to encourage
ongoing participant collaboration. Key teaching strategies
include small group format, video segments with discussion,
group activities, and handouts/transparencies. Materials
include a facilitator's guide, videotape, educational modules,
resource list, and supplementary materials. The length of
instruction are three 1-2 hour modules. There is no cost
for up to 10 free copies. No formal teacher training is
available-a detailed facilitation guide is available.
The curriculum was evaluated on the three criteria:
- Obvious research base = none.
- Evidence of program effectiveness with grandparents or
grandchildren = none.
- Ready to use = Yes, the modules are user friendly, and
easy to use.
Second Time Around: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
was developed by Linda Dannison and Ann Nieuwenhuis.
The curriculum is available from Linda Dannison, Program
Support, and telephone 616-387-3704. Suggested targeted
audiences are grandparents who are raising grandchildren
and professionals interested in responding to the needs
of grandparents raising grandchildren. Program goals are:
1) to provide an educational program that offers grandparents
valuable information and resources to help them in their
grandparenting role; and 2) to develop a forum in which
grandparent caregivers can build peer support and exchange
ideas and information. Key teaching strategies include small
group format, educational presentations with discussion,
individual activities, group activities, possible guest
presentation, informal talk time, handouts, and transparencies.
Materials include a facilitator's guide, educational module,
resource list, and support materials (handouts, activities,
discussion topics, and evaluation forms). The length of
instruction is 16 two-hour modules with a recommendation
to use only 8. The cost of the program is approximately
$75. The facilitator guide is extensive and detailed. It
teaches facilitators how to facilitate group discussion,
budget, plan, implement, and evaluate the program. No formal
teacher training is available.
The curriculum was evaluated on the three criteria:
- Obvious research base = yes.
- Evidence of program effectiveness with grandparents
or grandchildren = yes. The program offers suggestive
outcome data with participant satisfaction from a study
with weak design. A preliminary study with two small experimental
groups by Vacha-Haase, Ness, and Smith (2001) is available.
The two groups of grandparents were similar. However,
one group met for dinner as well as education, which may
have affected the results. The two groups had different
leaders, which may have affected the results. There was
no control group. Group leaders completed the "Post-Session
Rating Form" for each grandparent immediately after each
of the 8 weekly sessions. They rated how well each grandparent
learned the information and achieved the expected outcomes
from "not at all" (0) to "completely" (3). Grandparents
completed the "Session Evaluation Form" after each of
the sessions. They assessed their interest in the session,
enjoyment of the session, ability to understand the information,
usefulness of the information to improve their ability
to care for their grandchild, and the overall usefulness
of the session from "strongly disagree" (1) to "strongly
agree" (5). Self-reported results by the group leaders
indicated that leaders perceived grandparents to learn
the sessions' objectives best in the second meeting that
focused on grandparent personal well being and the final
group session on looking to the future. Grandparents reported
that the most useful content was managing finances and
exploring legal issues. They reported that the sessions
that were most useful to improve their ability to care
for their grandchildren were managing finances, working
with school and community, and exploring legal issues.
- Ready to use = yes, almost everything a professional
needs is here and more. S/he may want to access more current
local statistics.
Reference: Vacha-Haase, T., Ness, C. M., & Smith, A.
(2001). Grandparents raising grandchildren: A psychoeducational
group approach. Unpublished manuscript available from the
author, Department of Psychology, Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1876. |
