Grandparenting, Care commitments and Employment

This project aims to increase understanding by conducting qualitative interviews with 60 grandparent-carers in Edinburgh and in Sussex. The study is being funded by a University of Brighton development initiative (awarded to Dr David Lain) and from personal research monies accrued by the applicant. Loretto and Lain have a history of successful collaboration, as grant-holders on an ESRC seminar series on Rethinking Retirement, as Guest Editors for special issues of Social Policy and Society and Employee Relations (both 2013), and as Co-Is on an ESRC/MRC funded project on Managing Age (2014-2017). They have just (April 2014) submitted an article to Human Resource Management Journal on Working beyond 65. In addition, the applicant has extensive experience of research into age, retirement and employment, undertaking work funded by research councils, Scottish and UK Governments, charities, trade unions and employers. Her publications include articles in internationally excellent and world-leading journals, policy reports for the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and the UK Department for Work and Pensions, briefing documents for employers and trade unions, and short articles for the professional Human Resource Management Community. Her work has been cited in parliamentary submissions on extended working lives and has fed into practical initiatives (e.g. diversity training for the NHS). The current project thus represents a close fit with her current and on-going research interests and approach.