Australian grandparents raising grandchildren: Understanding the complexities of intergenerational and vicarious trauma

Many Australian grandparents are stepping in as primary carers when children cannot live with their parents, often in the context of family violence, parental mental illness, substance use or involvement with child protection. This peer-reviewed article explores the experiences of grandparents raising grandchildren, with a particular focus on intergenerational and vicarious trauma. Through qualitative research, the authors show how grandparents carry their own histories of trauma and disadvantage while also witnessing and absorbing the distress of the children in their care. They describe complex role changes, financial strain, disrupted retirement plans and the emotional toll of navigating multiple service systems, including child protection, health, education and income support. The article also recognises the strengths within kinship care, including deep commitment, cultural continuity and the stability that grandparents can provide, especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families where kinship care reflects longstanding cultural practice. However, support is often fragmented, under-resourced and poorly tailored to kinship families’ realities. The authors call for trauma-informed, kinship-aware policy and practice that offers financial security, respite, flexible services and genuine recognition of grandparents’ caregiving role. For community work professionals, this research provides nuanced insights that can inform advocacy, casework and program design aimed at sustaining kinship placements and supporting the wellbeing of both children and carers.