Drs. Ángel Gullón-Rivera and Andrea Smith.
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Drs. Ángel Gullón-Rivera and Andrea Smith from Western Michigan University's College of Education and Human Development are celebrating the 10th year of their publication, Grandfamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy. The peer-reviewed journal is dedicated to topics related to grandparents raising grandchildren and features high-quality, evidence-based research and best practices from those in the field.
Smith, in partnership with Dr. Debra Whitley, a professor of social work at Georgia State University, developed the journal in response to a 2012 comprehensive needs assessment of professionals working within the field of kinship care. Participants expressed a strong interest in current research findings, development of best practice models and staying informed about upcoming state and national policies.
"We’re very proud that Grandfamilies has established such a strong footing and has developed such a positive reputation," says Smith. "Our journal is recognized as serving as a leading source of information on current practices, research studies and policy initiatives impacting kinship families and preparing professionals to more effectively meet family members’ needs."
Over the past 10 years, Grandfamilies has published 61 articles and has been downloaded in 166 countries. In addition, the journal has been read or used by over 50,000 people from 2,700 institutions.
"The well of knowledge and commitment to the field of grandparent-headed households is inspirational," says Gullón-Rivera. "We are always striving to publish high-quality articles and I'm grateful to our reviewers for taking their time out of their busy schedule to provide feedback and recommendations. It has been a pleasure working with our team and I am looking forward to our upcoming anniversary issue!"
The 10th Anniversary Edition of Grandfamilies will be released in fall 2024.
JOURNAL EDITORS
Co-editors-in-chief:
- Dr. Andrea Smith, Western Michigan University
- Dr. Deborah M. Whitley, Georgia State University
Co-managing editors:
- Dr. Ángel Gullón-Rivera, Western Michigan University
- Dr. Deborah Langosch, consultant and private practice
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