Kinship Care: A Cross-Case Analysis of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in the Filipinos’ Cultural Context

Abstract

Filipino families commonly have members beyond the nuclear family structure who are usual sources of mutual support, protection and interdependence for the family. Among these are grandparents who are valuable sources of support including childcare. Using multiple case study approach with cross-case analysis, the circumstances of seven Filipino grandparents raising grandchildren were examined. Their extrinsic reasons for taking custody over their grandchildren include parental employment, parents having new families, lack of basic parenting skills, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, unstable home environment and domestic violence, child abuse and negligence, parental imprisonment, and financial incapability of the parents to raise the child; while the intrinsic reason being the grandparent’s need for home companionship. Filipino grandparents’ reasons for taking grandchild custody were found to be consistent with other grandparents around the world who also took custody of their grandchildren.