Research

As the landscape for family life changes, it is important that the regulatory and legal environment responds and remains relevant to their changing needs. We endeavour to keep abreast of best practice and we are committed to continuing our research into grandparent and whanau caring and the influence it has on our children.

GRG has commissioned three major research reports on the socio-economic issues impacting on grandparent and whanau care families in 2005, 2009 and 2016 along with additional topic specific reports on key issues affecting grandparent and whanau care families.  


Our Research Reports are as follows:
 

Research Report, October 2016 (Funded by Lotteries NZ)
 

The empty nest is refilled: the joys and tribulations of raising grandchildren in Aotearoa
Dr Liz Gordon, Pukeko Research (the findings of the Lotteries funded 2016 Grandparent and Whanau Caregiver Survey conducted by GRG and led by Pukeko Research.

Family Court Issues, 2016 (Funded by the Law Foundation New Zealand)

Liz Gordon (2016) : Study of grandparents in family court proceedings over their grandchildren prior to the 2014 changes to the court: GRG Trust NZ

Grandparents raising grandchildren are often required to formalise caregiver arrangements before they are given access to support. Our study funded by the Law Foundation New Zealand, examined those who went to court before and after the family court changes in 2014. The data collected about ‘after’ 2014 was gifted to the University of Otago for use in their large research study. The ‘before’ data is reported in this report and can also be found on the Community Research site here.

In-depth Reports Using Data from the Lotteries Funded Grandparent and Whanau Carer Survey 2016

He waka eke noa: Māori grandparents raising grandchildren
Liz Gordon (2018)
This article analyses data from Māori participants in the large study of grandparents raising grandchildren conducted in 2016. As a significant proportion of users of GRG's services, Māori caregivers have carved out their own approaches to negotiating the role of grandparents bringing up their children’s children, or ‘mokopuna’ (often ‘moko’).

Impact of Parents' Drug Issues
Liz Gordon (2018) ‘My daughter is a drug addict’: grandparents caring for the children of addicted parents, Kotuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 13:1, 39-54

Seeking Income Support from WINZ
Liz Gordon (2017) Experiences of grandparents raising grandchildren in getting income support from work and income offices in New Zealand, Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 12:2, 134-145

Research Report, September 2009 (Funded by Sky City Auckland Community Trust)

 

Jill Worrall (2009) Grandparents and Whanau/Extended Families Raising Kin Children in Aotearoa/New Zealand—A view over time.”

Executive Summary

Media Release: The Healing Power of Grandparents; 8 September 2009

Research Report, March 2005 (Funded by the JR McKenzie Trust)

 

Jill Worrall (2005) Grandparents and other Relatives Raising Kin Children in Aotearoa/New Zealand.”​

Media Release: Research Report 3 May 2005