The prevalence of grandfamilies is on the rise across the country, with 1 in 14 children being the product of grandfamilies. West Virginia ranks fourth in the nation for the percentage of grandparents raising one or more of their grandchildren. In its first year, West Virginia State University’s Healthy Grandparents program graduated 43 grandparents who were raising 90 grandchildren. Participants learned several modern-day parenting skills, including social media, navigating the school system, and literacy. More than 97 percent of participants reported being better prepared to raise their grandchildren.
NIFA originally published this impact in the NIFA 2017 Annual Report. Want to read about more impacts like this? Check out Fresh from the Field, a weekly bulletin showcasing transformative impacts made by grantees funded by NIFA.
