There are more than 2.7 million children in the United States being raised by their grandparents. Approximately 40% of them due to the substance abuse problems of one or both parents, and another 28% of them because of neglect, abandonment or abuse by one or both parents. Experts estimate that for every child currently in the foster care system, there are about 25 children who are being raised by their grandparents or extended family. As the opioid crisis continues to ravage communities across the U.S., more grandparents are seeking full or partial child custody. Grandparents can be concerned for their grandchild’s safety and well-being for a number of reasons, including one or both parents history of alcohol or drug abuse, history of child neglect and lack of stability. In a situation of grandparent seeking custody of their grandchild, hiring a private investigator can help.
Factors a PI Can Investigate for Grandparents Seeking Child Custody
The courts have a list of certain factors they consider when deciding what is in the best interest of the child in a child custody case. Several of those factors are things a PI can investigate and gather documentation or evidence on for presentation in court. Here are a few of those factors a PI can investigate:
- Parent(s) ability to meet the physical and emotional needs of the child
- Evidence of satisfactory ability to parent/suitable parenting skills
- Stability, lifestyle and normal routine of parent/household
- Signs of neglect or child abuse
- Other evidence of violent behaviors in the home
- Evidence of parent’s drug or alcohol abuse
- Evidence of parental involvement in criminal activities
- Parental associates that spend time around the child and the background of those associates
Ways a PI Can Help
There are a few specific ways a private investigator can help gather the evidence and documentation needed for a grandparent to seek custody based on the factors above.
- Background investigations on the parents – It’s quite common for people to hide unsavory information or incidents from their parents, even as adults. In many cases, background investigations on the parents yield information that the grandparents were unaware of.
- Witness statements – Independent witness testimony is weighed heavily by the court in deciding custody cases. Private investigators are experts at interviewing witnesses and gathering witness statements in a neutral third-party way that stands up in court.
- Surveillance of parent’s day-to-day treatment of child – PIs can gather surveillance of how parents interact with the child, how they treat the child, places they take the child and other details of the parent’s choices involving the child and their well-being.
- Surveillance of parent’s activities when away from the child – This surveillance can help uncover criminal activity, drug use or other activities that could impact the parent’s stability or ability to properly care for the child.
- Background investigations on associates of the parents – A PI can determine the identity of the parent’s associates that have contact with the child and perform background investigations on those associates. This will show if the parent is allowing someone with a criminal history or other background that is not appropriate (such as sex offenders) to be around the child.
For many grandparents, choosing to seek custody of their grandchild is not an easy decision. The evidence gathered by a PI not only helps in court but can also reaffirm for the grandparents whether they are making the right decision for the safety and well-being of their grandchild.
