Grandparents sometimes need to take grandkids to the doctor.
Today's families can include children who have different parents and come from different cultures. The extended family often blends several generations so that a child's caretaker can be a parent, a stepparent, a domestic partner, a guardian or a grandparent. Busy parents can't always be reached in an emergency, so it is essential that a child's parent or guardian sign forms allowing grandparents and other caretakers to seek medical help for children when parents are unavailable.
Grandparents to the Rescue
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of grandparents who are primary caretakers of their grandchildren grew by 30 percent between 1990 and 2000. Grandparent care is a rising trend, with grandparents intervening when the child's parents encounter problems such as divorce, illness, homelessness and drug abuse.
Guardianship or Adoption
Filing for formal legal guardianship or adoption through the court system is one way for grandparents to gain the authority they need to seek medical help for children in their care. With guardianship, the grandparents become the legal equivalent of the parent without terminating the parental rights of the child's mother and father. Some states encourage grandparents to assume foster parent status, so the grandparents can receive state medical benefits that unrelated foster parents receive. With adoption, the court terminates the natural parents' parental rights, and the grandparents step into the shoes of the parents. Either way, grandparents have the same legal right as parents to seek and authorize medical care for the child.
Consent
When grandparents are not the child's primary caregiver and merely need to be able to legally obtain medical treatment for a visiting grandchild, a consent form signed by one parent may provide sufficient authority. Laws about consent forms vary from state to state, so a consent form may not solve the problem in your home state. If parents do sign a consent form, they should file a copy with the child's school and pediatrician.
Legal Advice
Legal issues regarding family relationships are complex and often depend on specific facts in each case. Grandparents who need to authorize medical care for their grandchildren should consult a lawyer in their home state to find out how their state laws apply to the unique situation in their family.
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