Using Consumer Input to Tailor Evidence-Based Parenting Interventions to the Needs of Grandparents

Grandparents provide a significant amount of child care to their grandchildren. However, there is limited research investigating
whether grandparents would view a parenting program developed specifically for them as useful. Our study adopted a consumer
focused perspective to program design and examined the challenges encountered by grandparents in their role as an informal
child care provider. Focus groups were conducted with fourteen grandparents (11 females, 3 males) aged 45–76 years (M = 60.14) the majority of whom provided 11–20 h of care per week to their grandchild. A thematic analysis indicated that grandparents
have difficulty managing the relationship with the parents and remembering effective parenting strategies. In addition, grandparents
also indicated wanting further strategies to cope with the stressors associated with the role, particularly surrounding feelings
of frustration and guilt. These results suggest that grandparents could benefit from a parenting program and this paper argues
that an existing evidence-based parenting program should be modified. In terms of implications for program design the inclusion
of a module centered on improving grandparent–parent communication and partner support may buffer potential conflict and tension
that can arise in co-parenting situations.