For many families in the United States, having grandparents provide child care is not just occasional help. It’s what makes work and parenting possible. Yet despite their central role in supporting families, too often grandparents are overlooked or taken for granted in the design of child care systems and policies. This post focuses on one particularly common group of grandparents: non-custodial or non-guardian grandparents who provide regular child care while the child’s parents remain the legal guardians and primary caregivers. By understanding the motivations, experiences, strengths, and needs of these grandparent-caregivers, alongside the policies and programs that may shape their day-to-day lives, we can help ensure that grandparents and their families have access to the supports they want and need.
Grandparent child care in the U.S.:What we know, what’s missing, and what policy can do
Home Grown has established and will lead the Nourishing Care Community of Practice (CoP) for state policy advocates who work across care, food, and economic stability issue areas
En julio de 2026, el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos publicó las actualizaciones anuales obligatorias de las tasas de reembolso para el CACFP.
In July 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published the required, annual reimbursement updates for CACFP. The small increases are not enough.