ABSTRACT
This chapter traces how the culture of grandparents in the UK, although based on a strong liberal Christian tradition, has changed in response to changes in society. Grandparenthood in the UK is influenced by the culture and traditions of previous epochs. In industrialized societies the nuclear family predominated, consisting of only parents and their growing children. Families and children reaching adulthood became more mobile and tended to relocate to where the jobs were. The welfare state provided pensions and free health care to enable the elderly to remain independent. A key influence on the culture of grandparenthood in England and Wales has been the high rate of immigration in the 20th and 21st centuries. These new Britons have brought with them their own traditions and cultures relating to older people and their involvement with children. Changing traditions of parenting pose a key challenge for grandparents when they take on an intensive role in childcare.
