Rising Number of Grandparents Raising Children: MyFoxPHOENIX.com
Rising Number of Grandparents Raising Children
Updated: Monday, 16 Jan 2012, 9:28 AM MST
Published : Monday, 16 Jan 2012, 9:21 AM MST
Alexis Vance
By ALEXIS VANCE
FOX 10 News
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – “I think she’s a gift to us which we didn’t realize at the time.”
Kay Vergnetti and her husband Angelo raised their four children — it was time to travel, see Europe and go on cruises, but that all came to a screeching halt.
“She remembers everything that happened that night at the altercation..every single thing,” said Kay.
Child Protective Services removed their granddaughter Courtney from her mother and father after a violent fight. She was only 2½ years old. Kay and Angelo stepped in to raise her and at first, it was a challenge.
“Tiresome, tiresome, I mean you wish you could take a nap at 4:00 and you couldn’t and it’s a 24 hour thing..you’re always on guard,” said Kay.
Then came all of the legal issues, getting a passport, health insurance and trying to enroll Courtney into a school.
“What we’re seeing more and more often is that school districts won’t take power of attorney, you need to be a guardian, so that’s when people turn over to guardianship, giving them the power of the parent,” said Adam Roberts of the Tarascio and Del Vecchio law firm.
Working with the courts and parents who don’t want to give up their rights can take a long time, but finally in 2007, the adoption was official and being a parent the second time around has its benefits.
“You’ve been through it all, you know what works, what doesn’t work and she’s got the benefit of all that..maybe that’s the way we should go..maybe all grandparents should raise children,” said Kay.
Here in Arizona, the latest census shows 70,000 children are being raised by their grandparents and there’s really no one reason for it.
“Economic factors, behavioral health of the parent, maybe child abuse, maybe substance abuse, there could be a lot of factors,” said Deidra Calcoate of the Department of Economic Security.
Courtney has blossomed into a beautiful young girl, a student at Horizon High School — and her grandparents wouldn’t change a thing.
“We stay in the loop..we know what’s going on, we don’t look from outside in, we get along with all of her friends, parents..we have a multitude from all walks of life and all ages that we consider our friends,” said Kay.
Attorneys, Phoenix, AZ
