Child Custody for Grandparents

For a growing number of families across the United Sates, grandparents play a major role in raising their grandchildren. This is particularly true as thousands of American parents lose their lives to the opioid epidemic that is currently plaguing the country.

According to social workers, children of parents who suffer from opioid addiction are often neglected or abandoned. Because the foster care system is so overcrowded, caseworkers often turn to grandparents to care for the children of addicts. Currently, there are more than 258,000 children in the foster care system because of their parent’s dependence on alcohol or drugs. Roughly one-third of these children live with other family members, most of whom are grandparents.

Donna Butts, the executive director of a family advocacy group in Washington D.C., says, “Grandparents provide this protective web of love and roots and hope, whereas children who come into the foster care system or into the care of law enforcement lose that sense of connection with their family.”

Get Help from a Family Law Attorney Today

When a grandparent decides they want to take on the responsibility of raising their grandchildren, they might encounter numerous legal obstacles. New York legislation for grandparent custody rights is still evolving, but our skilled lawyers at Wisselman, Harounian, and Associates, P.C. are here to protect your rights.

Not only have we handled numerous grandparent custody cases brought on by drug abuse, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and divorce but we have been involved in helping develop legislation to protect grandparents’ rights. Our law firm has the skills and resources that you need to secure a fair case result. Let us get started on your case today.

Call (516) 406-8500 to request a free case evaluation with one of our Long Island family lawyers.