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CNN Live Saturday

Grandparents Become Head of Households

Aired July 28, 2001 - 15:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: The traditional role of a grandparent is usually just a part-time job. They see the grandkids on holidays and on some weekends. But now, there's a trend emerging, where grandma and grandpa are taking over full-time. CNN's Susan Candiotti has our report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Liz Filler is overjoyed to be a grandmother to 5-year-old Jesse, her only daughter's son. What she didn't expect was to become Jesse's primary care giver less than a year after his birth.

LIZ FILLER, GRANDMOTHER: When my daughter handed me my grandson on the street when he was 11 months old, I was happy, I was working, I had my own life, my own interests -- and boom, everything changed.

CANDIOTTI: That was five years ago. Filler quit her job to take care of her grandson.

FILLER: I had to take him to daycare. That was my first priority. But since I had no legal guardianship of the child, of my grandson, the daycare said, "well, how do we know that this is really your grandson?"

CANDIOTTI (on camera): Not knowing where to turn for help, Liz Filler made phone calls, asked questions, and started an organization to help other grandparents raising grandchildren.

FILLER: The phone has never stopped ringing since.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Some grandparents Filler helps use the same daycare center where she now works. Child welfare advocates say federal and state funding for grandparents heading households is woefully inadequate.

CHRISTINA ZAWISKA, CHILDREN FIRST PROJECT: We find a lot of these grandparents are living on the edge of survival themselves. They depend on Social Security and their own Medicaid, so taking in another set of kids requires a lot more money than they have to offer.

CANDIOTTI: Nine months ago, Jesse's mom moved back home and has been working long hours to get back on her feet. For now, grandma Filler remains the primary care giver. FILLER: There are times that he'll look at me and he'll call me "mommy," instead of "grammy." And I'll correct him, you know, "I'm grammy, that's mommy," you know. But when push comes to shove, he knows who he can go to, who'll always be there for him, and that's his grandma.

CANDIOTTI: At age 52, Liz Filler's life is far from what she had envisioned, but for now, just the way she wants it -- with Jesse safe and healthy.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Broward County, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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