The unsung heroes powering modern families
As populations age, society is discovering an unexpected reserve army: grandparents.
From stepping in to cover rising childcare gaps, to acting as second parents in kinship care, millions of grandparents are quietly holding families — and economies — together. In the UK alone, nearly 9 million provide childcare support, worth an estimated £13,000 annually if compensated at market rates.
Beyond economics, their impact is deeply human: offering stability, love, and wisdom in ways no institution can replicate. As Camilla Cavendish writes, “what grandparents need, above all, is recognition.”
It’s time we start seeing them not just as helpers, but as indispensable pillars of our social fabric.
Source: https://www.ft.com/content/ca30d84d-623f-41c1-a607-7ed36d889292
