Borrowed grandparents

Why parents swear by surrogate grandmas and grandpas

Anita Novotny with her surrogate granddaughters, who are now five and eight years old: "There's an old saying: 'It takes a whole village to raise a child.' That used to be true and is still true today."

(Bild: Ronald Fenk )

There are currently 1530 active surrogate grandmas and grandpas in Austria. Demand: rising sharply! Demand is particularly high in urban centers. But there is also a desperate search for new ones in rural areas. The "Krone" asked why this is the case and what their everyday life with their charges looks like. 

Despite the wide range of childcare services offered by crèches, kindergartens and childminders, there is a growing demand for trustworthy and reliable caregivers who can look after children in their free time when parents are unable to do so due to work commitments. Single parents in particular are facing major challenges. However, even families in which both parents would in principle be available often lack the necessary family network to fill gaps in childcare during off-peak times and emergencies.