Sometimes we think we are the only ones with issues.  I know that many Grandparents in the United States are in financial difficulty, but I found this article from England. Check it out.

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Grandparents who look after children whose parents have died, fallen ill or cannot care for them to get new rights including paid leave

·         From next year adoptive parents will be entitled to paid leave

·         PM said this new right could be extended to grandparents

·         They currently get a 'raw deal', according to David Cameron 

By LEON WATSON FOR MAILONLINE

Grandparents who look after children whose parents have died, fallen ill or are unable to provide adequate care could be given parental rights to paid leave, the Prime Minister has said.

From next year adoptive parents will be entitled to nine months of paid leave.

David Cameron said yesterday the Conservatives may consider a manifesto commitment to extending this new right to grandparents who become the guardians of their grandchildren.

Amos Sewell2

Prime Minister David Cameron has said some grandparents could be given parental rights to paid leave

David Cameron: 'Nothing matters more than family'

They currently get a 'raw deal', according to the PM.

He said: 'You do see sometimes grandparents stepping in and effectively bring up children, and of course under the rules they don't get quite the same rights as others.

'What you are saying is that if you can extend to adoptive parents things that birth parents have in terms of rights, couldn't you do that for grandparents?

'That is something I am very happy to look at in terms of the manifesto, and we have got some Conservative MPs here who have got some responsibility for giving me ideas, so I am sure they will take note of it.'

It is estimated that more than 200,000 grandparents become their grandchildren's carers when parents die, become ill or because of drug and alcohol abuse.

They are often unwilling to adopt or foster the children because they do not want to 'paint the parent out of the picture'.

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It is estimated that more than 200,000 grandparents become their grandchildren's carers when parents die, become ill or because of drug and alcohol abuse (file picture) 

Campaigners want paid parental leave to be extended to grandparents, as well as four to six weeks of unpaid leave during the 'crisis' period while children are settling in and are being kept out of care.

Last year a pensioner won the right to be treated as her grandson's foster mother.

The woman from Derbyshire, 68, who has been looking after the 13-year-old since he was a baby, went to the High Court after learning she would receive twice as much financial support if she was a stranger.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2728467/