Nicol families at the family holiday home “Lochnagar”, 1970s, Ebor, NSW. Courtesy of the City of Coffs Harbour.
Dear NCB community,
We are seeking 6 participants for a focus group in Canberra on the history of grandparenting in Australia from 1945-2025 for an Australian Research Council-funded project (ARC DP250100728, Ethics Approval ANU H/2025/0115).
Participation involves a focus group in the first 6 months of 2026 lasting up to 3 hours (with breaks). It will be conducted in a comfortable, conversational setting at the ANU where you can answer several questions as a group detailing your life stories and the biographies of your grandparents. We are interested in hearing about experiences of grandparenting and being grandparented, biological and non-biological grandparenting biographies. We are also keen to recruit several generations of the same family (provided grandchildren are over 18 years old).
Please note that participation is completely voluntary, and while no financial compensation is provided, your contribution will be invaluable to this important research.
How your story matters
- By sharing your experiences, you’ll be helping to:
- Document how grandparenting has evolved across generations.
- Preserve important family and community stories for future generations.
- Contribute to research that will inform policy and support for Australian families.
- Create a lasting record of the diverse experiences of Australian grandparents.
Next steps
If you’re interested in participating or would like more information about the project, I’d love to hear from you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions – I’m happy to discuss the research in more detail and explain what participation would involve for you, your friends or your family.
Warm regards,
Professor Tanya Evans
School of Humanities, Macquarie University
You can find out more about the project here: https://grandparentsaustralia.net/