grandfamily

American  

[grand-fam-uh-lee, fam-lee] / ˈgrændˌfæm ə li, ˌfæm li /

noun

grandfamilies plural

1. a family in which one or more children live with and are raised by their grandparent or grandparents.

   Grandfamilies exist because of absent parents, and the circumstances behind that can vary greatly from one case to the next.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• grandfamilies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of grandfamily

First recorded in 1960–65; grand ( def. ) + family ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

grandfamily grandfamilies

“I hear from the grandfamily caregivers that they don’t want to be a part of ‘the system,’” Keith Lowhorne, vice president of kinship with the Alabama Foster and Adoptive Parents Association, said in the report.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 4, 2022

Gentry said she hopes more grandfamily communities like hers pop up around the country so residents can provide support for one another when resources are not readily available.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 10, 2022

Projects are underway in Washington, D.C., and Redmond, Ore., and lawmakers in the House reintroduced the Grandfamily Housing Act, which would create a national pilot program to expand grandfamily housing.

From New York Times ● Aug. 19, 2021

There are at least 19 grandfamily housing programs with on-site services across the United States, financed by a mix of public and private funding, according to Generations United, a nonprofit focused on intergenerational collaboration.

From New York Times ● Aug. 19, 2021

But some embrace the transition out of grandfamily housing.

From New York Times ● Aug. 19, 2021

Charniak shared her story because she wanted to help current grandfamilies who may be struggling with learning the legal system, grappling with financial worries or dealing with the emotional stress of raising their grandchildren.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026

Her story is typical of grandfamilies, which are often stretched thin financially.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 8, 2026

Most important, children in grandfamilies report feeling loved.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 22, 2022

And kinship navigator programs, funded by states and the federal government, help connect grandfamilies to important services: housing, food benefits, legal guidance.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 13, 2022

And if a grandparent isn’t a child’s legal guardian, finding housing becomes trickier; fewer than one in three eligible grandfamilies receives housing assistance, according to Generations United.

From New York Times ● Aug. 19, 2021