Grandparents' organisations meet with Ministers

Grandparents and their representative organisations today attended a cross-Government summit to explore the changing role of grandparents in society.

Topics for discussion included how families and childcare services can adapt to better meet the needs of grandparents, the impact of combining employment with care of their grandchildren, and ways to provide more information to grandparents more effectively.

The findings from the summit will inform the forthcoming Families and Relationships Green Paper. The Green Paper will look at how government can better support all family members, including grandparents, and how services can cater for their differing needs.

Yvette Cooper Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said: "I know from personal experience just how important grandparents can be to help families juggle the demands of work and home life. Thousands of grandparents across the country are playing a vital role in all our lives and we want to do all we can to help support them, which is why today's event is so valuable."