Who’ll Care for Them in the Event of Me Dying? Custodial Grandparents’ Incapacity, Mortality, and Succession Care-Plan Fears for Their Custodial Grandchild/ren

Custodial grandparents are a vulnerable and marginalised group within society. A total of 110 these custodial grandparents took part in a mixed-method (qualitative interview and quantitative survey) research project. Of these, 22 participated in a semi-structured interview, 27 participated in an interview and completed a Grandcarer Needs, Wellbeing and Health Survey, and 61 completed a survey only. Data were subjected to conventional, summative and directed content analysis. The results reveal that while a few custodial grandparents have a viable succession plan for their custodial grandchildren’s care post their incapacitation or demise, the majority do not. Indeed, many custodial grandparents have such a conflictual (or no) relationship with not only their offspring, but also their extended family members, coupled with a deep distrust of the foster-care system that their succession (Plan B) care options for their custodial grandchild are limited. The prevailing plan being not to die before their grandchild/ren reach maturity. The health implications of raising grandchildren without a viable succession plan are discussed.