I have posted more than once recently about the impact of the recession on noncustodial parents struggling with child support obligations.

Their situations are tough, but parents will not lose custody of or access to their children due to unemployment.

Millions of American grandparents raise their grandchildren, because their children are unable to do so.

If they can’t support their grandchildren, though, they may well lose custody and/or guardianship of them.

In this recession-weakened economy, older workers who lose their jobs are having an especially difficult time replacing them … sometimes eventually giving up.

In addition to the stresses of prolonged unemployment that one might expect, those raising grandchildren bear the additional fear that they will be taken away from them and placed in foster care with strangers.

What assistance there is for grandparent-custodians is rapidly being depleted by those in need because of the weak economy.

Many grandparent caregivers could simply become foster parents to their grandchildren. That would provide them with greater financial assistance from the government for raising their grandchildren.

But it would also put the grandchildren “into the system” and subject them all to monitoring and intrusions.

Read more in this Wall Street Journal article: ‘Grandfamilies’ Come Under Pressure.