Grandparent caregivers confront multiple issues and challenges in their efforts to raise their grandchildren. The nature of these concerns suggests the relevancy of the ecological perspective as a framework for social work practice and for the design of interventions. This paper identifies the areas of stress faced by these grandparents and the ways in which the use of this perspective is particularly relevant to addressing their specific needs. A case study of services provided to one grandparent is presented. In working with these caregivers, social workers must be ready to assume a plethora of roles and interventions ranging from counselor and therapist to advocate and policy developer to ensure that the needs of grandparent caregivers are met and that stress is reduced.
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