National Grandparents Day is Sunday 30 October. The annual event, celebrated on the last Sunday of October, provides an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the significant contribution that grandparents make to their families and to the broader community.
It’s also an opportune time to highlight the role of Grandcarers - grandparents providing care for their grandchildren usually on a fulltime and unpaid basis.
Grandcarers are a vital part of our community, supporting children to be cared for in safe, nurturing homes that promote family stability and maintain family ties.
The Department of Communities (Communities) funds Wanslea over $600,000 annually to deliver the Grandparent Carers Support Services (GCSS) Program which provides a range of support services for grandcarers, including counselling and support on parenting, financial and legal issues, the provision of respite and referrals to other specialist support agencies.
Communities also funds the Grandcarers Support Scheme (GSS) which is administered by Wanslea and provides an annual payment to informal grandcarers to acknowledge their parenting role and assist in meeting the costs of raising their grandchildren. The annual GSS payment rate is $1,000 per grandchild.
