Alloparent

Alloparent (or alloparent caregiver) refers to a non-biological parent who helps raise offspring. Alloparenting is found in many social species and is especially prominent in cooperative breeding systems, including some mammals and birds, as well as in humans. Alloparents can be related or unrelated to the offspring and may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, or other group members.

Functions of alloparents vary and can include carrying, provisioning and nursing, protecting offspring from predators, teaching skills, grooming, and general socialization. In humans, alloparenting is common across cultures and can reduce parental workload, improve infant survival, and strengthen social bonds within families and communities. In nonhuman species, alloparents contribute to offspring survival and can support the stability of the group or colony.

The evolutionary drivers of alloparenting include kin selection, where related caregivers pass on shared genes, and reciprocal or social benefits that arise from living in a cohesive group. Alloparenting is a central aspect of cooperative breeding, a system in which multiple adults contribute to the care of offspring, sometimes at the expense of their own immediate reproduction. It can influence juvenile development, social structure, and the evolution of family life and group living.

See also: cooperative breeding, parental investment, kin selection, social behavior.