UCDD Helping People Raise Relative Children

The Upper Cumberland Development District is offering support group assistance to those who are currently caring for a relative’s child.

Relative Caregiver Program Case Manager Marcia (Mar-see-uh) Riddle said the program assists families who have children they are raising through informal arrangements or court custody. Riddle said the support group is offered once a month in all fourteen counties in the Upper Cumberland region.

“It creates a safe atmosphere for these children and caregivers to come get support and socialize with people that are doing the same thing that they are,” Riddle said. “Somebody that has had that same experience.”

Riddle said the support group discusses topics such as grief, mental health, children, and social media. Riddle said it can be extremely difficult for those who are raising a relative child.

“If they got a lot of support it definitely makes it easier,” Riddle said. “But there’s a lot that comes into this and they get the children and maybe they are on a limited income and maybe they are older and it is a struggle that they don’t have any other help, so it really gives them someone to kind of point them in the direction of resources.”

Riddle said the program and support group has been in place for over 20 years. Riddle said in the Upper Cumberland it is not uncommon for a grandparent or aunt and uncle to raise a relative’s child.

“There is a lot of it out there,” Riddle said. “We do have a lot of folks. I think there is a lot more out there that are not actively in our program at this time.”

Riddle encourages those interested in the support group to reach out and participate in the program as those in the program get constant updates of when support group meetings happen.