WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa has received the first-ever Grandfamilies Champion Award from the advocacy group Generations United for his work to support grandparents raising their grandchildren.   Helping to present the award was a West Des Moines woman who has informed congressional policy work through her own example.
 
“It’s an honor to receive recognition for something that makes sense to many families,” Grassley said. “Sometimes grandparents are more than willing to step in and raise their grandchildren but policies might discourage that. Congress enacted changes to encourage grandchild-grandparent households and build more stability for the children than they would have in the foster care system.  We should continue with work to build on the family success stories here.”
 
Andreah Moyer of West Des Moines presented Grassley with the Grandfamilies Champion Award.  Moyer spent years in the foster care system but would have preferred placement with her grandparents.  However, at the time, there was no flexibility with foster care policy to help grandparents who are on a fixed income and need financial assistance to be able to raise their grandchildren. In 2008, after hearing the stories of Moyer and others, Congress enacted the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008.
 
Grassley was key in enacting the legislation, which includes a provision for states to adopt and provide subsidized guardianships for children in the care of relatives in the foster care system.  That means the children can exit the foster care system but still have the financial support that enables them to live with their grandparents. In Moyer’s case, had this been law when she and her brothers were growing up, her grandparents could have received the subsidy and been able financially to raise them.  Instead, her brothers were adopted, and she was moved from foster home to foster home.
 
A new report from Generations United describes progress in placing children in foster care with grandparents and other relatives, but also cites remaining challenges.  The report is available here.
 
A photo of Moyer and Grassley is available here.
 

 

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