"WSU Study: Pandemic Spurs Increase in Grandparent-Led Households for Children"
A study led by Washington State University reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant increase in the number of children living with their grandparents, with nearly 510,000 children experiencing this living arrangement. While multi-generational households were already on the rise before the pandemic, the increase during COVID-19 was six times greater than expected. The surge was primarily driven by single mothers, unmarried mothers, non-working mothers, and families with children under the age of 6. The study highlights the importance of family ties as a safety net, as the need for economic and instrumental support outweighed concerns about health risks. However, the researchers note that this surge in co-residence is temporary, with numbers returning to expected levels in 2021.