As a grandparent, you likely love your grandchildren as deeply as you love your own kids. Most of the time, grandparents get to enjoy the pleasure of watching a grandchild grow without needing to take on all of the responsibilities of their daily care like parents do.
However, some grandparents need to fill a more parental role for the grandkids. Maybe their child is very ill or has recently died. Perhaps the issue is drug addiction, incarceration or neglect that has led to state involvement. If New Jersey has terminated your child’s rights or if your child is otherwise unable to care for their kids, you may want to look into a kinship placement or adoption as their grandparents.
Who qualifies for a kinship adoption?
Having a parent who isn’t able to care for you is a difficult situation. The state will do its best to make things easier for a child in this position by placing them with family members. You could potentially ask for kinship placement of your grandchildren if you are able to pass a home inspection and you and all other adults living in your home can pass a background check.
You can then begin to work with state programs to access therapy and other resources to help your family. If your child signs certain paperwork or the state terminates their parental rights, you may be able to formally adopt your grandchildren eventually. Adoption can help make your living situation that much more stable for everyone.
Although stepping up as a grandparent to raise your grandkids may not be how you pictured your golden years, it will surely be rewarding for you and beneficial for them to have someone who loves them filling that crucial role.
