Nationally, 4.5 million children live in grandparent-headed households (6.6% of children in the U.S.)

In Illinois there are 213,456 children living in grandparent-headed households (6.6% of children in Illinois)

In the 16 counties of East Central Illinois, there are 8,257 children residing with grandparents who are heads of households, and 4,813 grandparents who are responsible for the care of their grandchildren.

ECIAAA supports nine Family Caregiver Resource Centers to inform, assist, counsel, and support grandparents and other relatives raising children.

The 2006 Amendments to the Older Americans Act amended the definition of “child” to include “an individual with a disability.”  The definition of “Grandparent or relative caregiver” was also amended to include those 55 year of age or older caring for a child to whom they are related by blood, marriage or adoption.

Providers of Older Americans Act services must give priority to grandparents or relative caregivers caring for children with severe disabilities.