Program to help families raising relatives' children

Rosa Davis of Waynesboro took in her first grandchild in 1977 and has been raising relatives' children ever since. Rosa Davis has been rearing children for more than a half-century.

The Waynesboro greatgrandmother began her own family with the birth of her oldest son in 1955. Then, as her children were nearing adulthood, she took in an infant grandchild in 1977. Since then, she has welcomed three other grandchildren and even a great-grandchild into her home to live.

At 70, she still works fulltime and is bringing up a 15-year-old grandson.

Ms. Davis can fully understand both the joys and challenges of the many local grandparents who are raising relatives' children.

"It was a trying time," she said. "I had to put my life on hold to start raising children all over. It was a joy but with the age difference, it became difficult at times ... with God by my side, we made it."

Workers with the Kinship Care Program at Medical College of Georgia's School of Nursing hope to help more guardians like Ms. Davis with the challenges they face.

According to the last census, nearly 500 grandparents in Burke County reported raising relatives' children.

"That was from nine years ago and we know that num- ber has risen tremendously," program coordinator Mike Patton said. "And a lot of times these families are dealing with very similar situations."

Patton said the Kinship Care Center can provide problem solving assistance, monthly newsletters, support and educational groups, and even summer day camps and programs for the children to give their caregivers a break.

"We also refer a lot of our families to legal aid to help them get custody of their grandchildren," Patton said. "A lot of families who don't have legal custody can face problems, like enrolling children in school and getting healthcare, shot records and birth certificates."

The Kinship Care Center is not just for grandparents. Grant funding received in 2005 allowed the program to expand to include other relative caregivers, such as aunts and uncles raising nieces and nephews. It services 12 counties across the CSRA, including such rural counties as Burke, Jenkins, Screven, Jefferson and others.

Patton said he hopes to involve more families in Burke County with the Kinship Care Center to help them cope with the challenges of raising relatives' children.

For more information, on the center and its services, contact Patton at 706-721- 6227 or program director Judith Salzer at 706-721- 5198.