When a Matua resident stepped in to raise her 9-year-old granddaughter, she had no idea how dramatically her life would change.

For her, the support, advice and workshops offered locally in Tauranga by national charity organisation Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) provided a much-needed lifeline.

“When I think about the possibility that there’s not enough funding to run meetings, I actually feel despair,” Jane said in a statement from ASB Bank, which has supported GRG with a grant.

Jane is not the Matua resident’s real name; she wanted to remain anonymous.

“The support groups make me realise that I’m not the only one going through this,” she said in the statement.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren general manager Dr Braden Clark said his organisation supports about 6800 whānau (families) throughout Aotearoa. “[About] 150 of those are in and around Tauranga,” Clark said.

“Our members range in age from early 40s to 90s and include great-grandparents raising their great-grandchildren.”

For most, raising grandchildren followed an unexpected event that required a major readjustment to their lives, Clark said.

In one instance, police delivered two young children to their grandparents in a retirement village late one night, meaning the elderly couple were forced to find alternative accommodation.

In Jane’s case, she was just months from retirement in 2023 when serious concerns were raised about her granddaughter’s welfare.

“I had plans to travel Aotearoa and then the rest of the world,” she said. “But her school principal was worried, so I stepped in to care for my mokopuna [grandchild].”

It meant Jane’s granddaughter didn’t have to go into foster care. However, her life was turned upside down.

“I’ve felt resentment at times because I had big plans that didn’t include being a parent again. I just want to be the grandparent.”

GRG Tauranga support group co-ordinator Jacqui Toung completely understands. She gained custody of her then 5-year-old granddaughter in 2016.

“It’s a feeling of the life we expected to have getting stripped away. We felt robbed,” Toung said.

“My husband and I lost friends, and there was the feeling of being judged; as if we’d done something wrong as parents.”

Clark said GRG provides training in parenting kids with trauma or disability and helps grandparents navigate their own sense of grief and loss because they may be isolated from family and friends.

“And we provide advice on their rights as they navigate the legal system.”

As a kaitaunaki (whānau support and advocate), Te Puke-based Christina Forrest is often the first point of contact for Western Bay of Plenty grandparents who’ve stepped in to care for their grandchildren.

“They come to us very overwhelmed and stressed about where to go or what their next step is and my role is to support them as they navigate their journey, which might involve their parental situation or the legal system, referring them to our support groups so they have a local face to connect with.”

Forrest said a recent $5000 grant from the ASB Local Community Fund will enable GRG to continue supporting those thrust back into a parenting role, often for their children who’ve experienced adversity, trauma or have additional needs.

Forrest said GRG sessions create a sense of connection and belonging.

“Without grants like this one [the ASB Local Community Fund] we wouldn’t be able to run our core services, and our core services result in thriving and resilient tamariki [children],” she said.

ASB community investment manager Hannah McHugh said stepping in to raise grandchildren can cause significant financial pressure “so this felt like a natural area for ASB to support”.

The public can support GRG via their website at: https://www.grg.org.nz/support