A New Democrat MP is aiming to help grandparents who suddenly find themselves full-time parents to their grandchildren.

Claude Gravelle’s private member’s bill would qualify grandparents to receive Employment Insurance benefits to raise a grandchild under five and allow them to claim child-care deductions.

The 2011 census showed at least 75-thousand children were being raised by their grandparents, a 20 per cent jump from 2006.