Grandparents Raising Children Support Group

This community is dedicated to grandparents who are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren. In cases where the parents are not willing or able to provide adequate care for their children, grandparents may take on the role of primary caregivers. Join the support group to find support, share your experience, and get advice from other members.

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Unable to have GS in Study!!

Liam2010
Liam2010
I posted awhile back about the in-service training speaker thingy that I got a flyer on and went through Social Services. Well they had a Dr who talked about a study they are doing at UCLA regarding children and young adults who were exposed to drugs, alcohol and other toxins during mother's pregnancy. I received a message call from the Dr to tell me that she will call this week to talk about the program and if I would be interested in enrolling my GS in it. I seen my SW last Friday and he told me I couldn't because I didn't have guardianship!!! He said if I got a lawyer and had signatures from both parents that I could. Problem is the bio mother is hiding somewhere and no one knows where. I am so bummed out...this program would take all these tests to see what damage he has and would give me or provide a treatment plan for him. I was thinking of trying to do it anyway and not tell because they don't give drugs or any treatments other then OT or Physical therapy.

I am bummed...

Judi
SaraBT
SaraBT
Liam, how did you enroll your grandson in school or do all of those other things? I would think that there has to be a way to get him into that study if you have authority to do everything else...
Liam2010
Liam2010
My GS is only 7mths old. I have had him since he was 2 1/2 mths old.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I'm not sure if this will work, but when we got our gc, we only had to have 1 parent write a consent for us to treat them. Will the bio dad give his consent in writing for you to treat your GS? He wouldn't have to know it was for this as long as the consent form was generic, because then, you are seeing a doctor.
Liam2010
Liam2010
I think my son the bio dad would sign off on it. I already spoke to him about that. I will find out when I speak to the UCLA Dr.

Thanks for your support,

Judi
deleted_user
deleted_user
That was my first thought.....that maybe the Dr's office could help. It's not like they are prescribing drugs or anything, just performing psychological and maybe some physical tests, correct?

If you have not had contact from the bio mother and noone knows where she is, then I would think there would be some way around her if the dad signs the form. Go to your regional dept of health services office and see if they can give you some suggestions. Whenever I want information, that's where I go. They actually try to answer my questions and help me, unlike the local office. :P
daisydduck
daisydduck
In order for a study to be effective, limitations have to be strongly enforced. For example the study may be limited to parent/child only. My dad and my daughter died of malignant brain tumors. I heard Johns Hopkins was doing a study on familial brain tumors. I called but the study was only being done on first generation incidences so we could not participate. In your case, you would be adding on another venue in that how is the child affected by your involvement, which is not what this study is trying to show. Don't be bummer. You might try to find schools that are applying for grants for grandparents raising grandchildren and suggest they follow a similar path as the one you applied for. I might add that you search the internet for studies being done on effects of bio parent involved in drugs and extend it to grandparents getting these kids and how it affects this relationship. Another thought just occurred to me: check out the Brookings Institute which has done studies on grandparents raising grandchildren and Generations United who have done many studies on the subject. I think it is a good idea and you should pursue it. I've done a lot of research for my books and may be able to help you.