One in three Aussie grandparents are regularly babysitting their grandchildren

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-11-13 03:00

Australia; NSW; VIC

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Grandparents are often stepping in to babysit their grandchildren in Australia to fill gaps in necessary care, according to Australian researchers who say the need for care is affecting women's ability to work on both sides of the coin. Surveying 4266 grandparents and 9822 parents in Australia, the researchers say 32.5% of grandparents reported regularly caring for their grandchildren and a further 40% did so irregularly. They say which families use grandparent childcare is still mostly influenced by how much the women in both generations are working, with grandparents more likely to step in if the grandmother is not working or if the mother is working more hours. The researchers say while Australian fathers are still mostly relying on their partners to provide care so they can work, mothers are turning to grandparents when they need assistance. The researchers say improving access to high-quality professional childcare should be a priority, because these care requirements are affecting the ability of both mothers and grandmothers to work, and not all Australians are able to lean on grandparents for support.