ACS Data Users Group

Why do they sometimes list spouse for grandparent tables.

So I understand

Grandparent householder not responsible for own grandchildren under 18 years (I think this refers to grandparents in general)

Confused about the wording of this

Grandparent householder and/or spouse responsible for grandchildren under 18 years (dollars) grandparents in general??)

A lot of ACS language is like this (householder and/or spouse of householder). Remember that the "householder" is whoever Person 1 is on the survey, and in whose name the house is owned or rented. Everyone else, including spouse, is referenced by their relationship to the householder.

Also, it may be helpful to read the Subject Definitions about what "responsible for" means: provides shelter/food/clothing/day care/etc. They are the child's functional guardian.

The main thing census is trying to measure with the grandparent tables (tables that start w/ B10 or C10) are things along these lines:

• count of children in the care of grandparents
• count of grandparents caring for/responsible for their grandchildren (as in, grandparents who are the householder and whose grandchildren are their dependents...not an elderly parent living as a dependent with the children's parents who are the householders of a multigenerational family. If you're looking for this, look for tables that start with B11 or C11 rather than B10 or C10.)
• The two above by other variables like age of children, marital status of grandparents, disability status, race, etc.

Note that these two main counts are not the same. Some scenarios: A group of 2 or 3 siblings cared for by the same single grandparent. A married couple caring for 1 grandchild. A widowed or divorced grandparent who remarried whose grandchild lives with them and their new spouse (step grandparent?). There are so many more scenarios you can think through when you break down the definitions of each word in the description.

Hope this helps,

Diana

Thanks for the reply but I think that is often not the case. Grandchildren and grandparents don't typically refer to their relationship to the head of household otherwise they would be great-grandparents to children under 18. I think a step-grandparent or step-parent is always referred to as a parent or grandchild.

The real problem is they are often inconsistent and sometimes do a terrible job on the text. I think;

Grandparent householder and/or spouse responsible for grandchildren under 18 years (dollars) really means;

"Grandparent householder responsible for grandchildren under 18 years (dollars)" which is consistent with other usage and clear.

Tom

• Diana’s correct it’s all about relationship to the householder (the person filling out the form) —you won’t find grandparent status for anybody who’s not either a householder, or in the case that the householder herself is a grandchild (possible but not exactly what you’re looking for, sounds like)

Question 26 only covers this from the standpoint of the grandparent, so references to the grandchild (which they have) is not based on the relation to the person filling out the form. A number of fields do not relate directly to the person filling out the form but are derived from it. But taking that literally, the spouse should be the spouse of the householder and therefore the child is married. Clearly, the spouse is the spouse of the grandparent and therefore also a grandparent. There is no reference to which grandparent is or even if there is one, two or more. Grandparent providing \ living \ etc. in relationship to the person filling out the form (in this case the child) represents a single entity (one or both) I think I understand the methodology and stand by my statement that the use of "and\or spouse" is inconsistent with other usage and not clear. I would not have this issue if the 10 tables that used references to grandparent all used "and\or spouse" Although I think the standard use of grandparent to reference one or more is the better usage.

I think if two grandparents filled out the form they would not double-count this, then you would have double the number of children and more. I think they take grandparents living or supporting etc etc. relates to a family or household and is counted as a binary (yes no) not two. Even if this was a very large and blended family 4 grandparents due to stepchildren, they would be grandparents living or supporting would be a single yes or no. Grandparents in general is the only way to use this, and again from question 26 only from the perspective of the grandparents.

Maybe this would be a great question to ask or review at the upcoming conference!!!