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The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the rate of grandparents being caregivers for one or more of their grandchildren has risen 64 percent in the last 20 years. There are now more than 7 million blended-generation families across the country. In nearly 3 million of those homes, grandparents were primarily responsible for raising their grandchild, with little or no assistance from the child's parents.

In Louisiana, close to 73,000 children under the age of 18 - roughly 6 percent of all the kids in the state - are currently living with and are being primarily cared for by at least one grandparent.

Contributing factors

Grandparents are stepping up because a parent (or parents) has:-Become ill or been seriously injured-Developed an alcohol or substance abuse problem-Relocated due to work or military-Divorce and major changes in home-Been incarcerated-Passed away

Exercising your rights

Even if you do not need or plan to have primary responsibility for your grandchildren, there are still situations in which you may need to take action to protect your right to have a quality relationship with them. This is all-too-common when the parents are divorcing, one parent has been incarcerated or has passed away. The custodial parent decides to cut off all contact with the non-custodial parent and his/her family. It may be necessary to ask the court for visitation, custody, child support, or even adoption, which can give children greater access to benefits such as social security, health coverage, military benefits, ect.

Seeking help

Do you have questions about your rights as a grandparent in Louisiana? Are you interested in learning more about legal actions that could help preserve your relationship with your grandchildren? For information about your legal rights and options, speak with an experienced family law attorney in your area.