You've Always Been There for MeToday, approximately 1. 6 million American children live in what social scientists call grandfamilieshouseholds in which children are being raised by their grandparents. In Youve Always Been There for Me, Rachel Dunifon uses data gathered from grandfamilies in New York to analyze their unique strengths and distinct needs. Though grandfamilies can benefit from the accumulated wisdom of mature adults raising children for a second time, Dunifon notes,