The importance of grandparents for today's families

Grandparents play an increasingly important role in social life and also in families. To analyse this phenomenon, the University Institute of the Family, the Abanca Afundación-ICADE chair of Longevity, Economy and Society and the European Network of Family Institutes (REDIF) organised the conference "Grandparents in the family". Mª Teresa López, Honorary Lecturer at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, gave the inaugural lecture entitled "The place of grandparents in the family".

Then, some experts from different fields addressed, in the first round table, the different family functions of grandparents: economic, caregiving and transmission of values.

The second round table dealt with the role of grandparents in divorce situations, introducing issues such as mediation or the right of grandparents to see their grandchildren in separation processes.

The closing conference of the day was given by Silvia Valmaña Ochaita, General Director for Childhood, Family and Birth Promotion of the Community of Madrid, and dealt with "Public policies and recognition of the family role of grandparents", pointing out the Community of Madrid's commitment to highlighting this role.