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Outcomes of the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents 

Raising Grandchildren April 2020 Meeting

The Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (SGRG) held their second full 

Council meeting on April 23, 2020. During the meeting, which was also attended by 150 members of the 

general public, the Advisory Council discussed the terminology they will use to consistently and 

inclusively describe the families raising children on which their work is focused. The Advisory Council 

also solidified their vision statement and adopted a set of guiding principles that will shape their work 

on the Report to Congress and other efforts they undertake to improve our nation’s response to the 

needs of grandparents and older relative caregivers.

Glossary of Terms Discussion:

In previous meetings, Advisory Council members had noted the limitations of using terms such as 

“grandparents” or “grandfamily” to describe older relatives who are caring for children. For example, in 

the case of a relative or family friend raising a child, the term “grandparent” does not necessarily apply. 

In addition, the Advisory Council noted that a person or persons raising a child in the role of 

grandparents may not even be an older adult. The Advisory Council articulated a commitment to 

developing a shared, or “harmonized,” term that shows respect for, and reflects the diversity of, all 

caregivers raising children today.

During their discussion the Advisory Council began by considering existing terms and their relevant 

definitions. Table 1 provides an overview of the terms discussed.

Table 1. Family Caregiver Terminology Reviewed During the April 2020 SGRG Advisory Council Meeting.

TERM DEFINITION

Grandparent A parent of one's father or mother.

Grandfamily Term used to describe a situation where children are being raised by their grandparents.

Kin Refers to a group of persons of common ancestry.

Fictive Kin An individual who is not related by birth, adoption, or marriage to a child, but who has an 

emotionally significant relationship with the child.

Kinship 

families

Families in which children reside with and are being raised by other extended family members

and adults with whom they have a close family-like relationship, such as godparents and close 

family friends.

Relative 

Caregiver

Typically includes "grandparents, siblings, stepparents, stepsiblings, uncles, aunts, first 

cousins, nephews, and nieces," and persons of preceding generations, and spouses of any of 

these relatives.”

Kinship care Commonly defined as "the full-time care, nurturing, and protection of a child by relatives, 

members of their Tribe or clan, godparents, stepparents, or other adults who have a family 

relationship to a child."
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After a nuanced discussion of the value and limitations of each of the terms, the Advisory Council agreed 

upon adopting the blended term “Kinship Families and Grandfamilies” to describe the families and 

extended families raising children that will be addressed in the Report to Congress and the future work 

of the Advisory Council. 

Note: The Advisory Council agreed that these terms will be treated as proper nouns and, therefore, will 

be capitalized in all reports and ancillary communications materials.

Create and Adopt a Vision Statement:

The Advisory Council then moved on to refining and finalizing their vision statement. The final vision 

statement adopted is as follows:

The Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (SGRG) will be a leader 

for identifying and sharing resources to support, educate, empower, and advocate for Kinship

Families and Grandfamilies. The Council will increase awareness and understanding of the needs 

of these families to ensure that they are treated with respect and dignity. By honoring cultures,

values, and diversities, we will create a better future so that families can flourish.

Develop and Adopt Guiding Principles:

The final portion of the meeting focused on an intensive revision and editing session during which time 

the Advisory Council discussed and collectively drafted, edited, and adopted a set of principles that will 

guide their work and the recommendations it makes in their Report to Congress. 

The agreed-upon guiding principles of the Advisory Council to Support Grandparents Raising 

Grandchildren are as follows:

1. We recognize and define Kinship Families and Grandfamilies as families in which children reside 

with and are being raised by grandparents, or other extended family members, and adults with 

whom they have a close family-like relationship. 

2. Activities will promote greater adoption of person- and family-centered supports that place 

Kinship Families and Grandfamilies at the center of every support system, while also 

acknowledging the challenge of possible conflicting goals.

3. Efforts will aim to empower Kinship Families and Grandfamilies to advocate for themselves to 

meet the needs of the child and family members. With improved access to resources they may 

engage and contribute meaningfully in their communities. 

4. Recommendations should recognize and support Kinship Families and Grandfamilies in a fair and 

impartial manner considering the physical, cultural, emotional, and financial impacts. 

5. The National Family Caregiving Strategy will include and amplify the voices of Kinship Families

and Grandfamilies.