On November 16, 2021, appropriately during National Family Caregiving Month, the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren released its initial report to Congress.

This report outlines the joys, challenges, gaps, and unmet needs faced by kin and grandparent caregivers. It also describes federal programs currently available to assist them and provides 22 recommendations for better supporting kinship families and grandfamilies. Those recommendations are broken into five key areas below:

• Awareness of/outreach to kin and grandparent caregivers.
• Kin and grandparent caregiver engagement.
• Services and supports for kinship families and grandfamilies.
• Financial and workplace security for kin and grandparent caregivers.
• Research, data, and evidence-supported practices

The recommendations will inform the development of the National Family Caregiving Strategy, which will include action steps to increase recognition and support for kin and grandparent caregivers.

For more information, see the initial report here.