Thank you for your response...Although under my circumstances it appears the children do qualify, I am not sure if they will receive any backpay. I have not found that particular information on the SS website, but I was told by a friend that even though claim was awarded back to my file date of over 2 years ago, the children's backpay only goes back one year. Is that correct?

This is the information I copied and pasted from the SS website.

For Social Security purposes, the definitions of eligible adopted children, step children, grandchildren, and children of divorced parents are:

Adopted children are eligible for Social Security benefits including those children adopted after the recipient has already started receiving benefits.
Stepchildren are eligible for Social Security benefits provided they are dependent upon the step-parent/recipient of Social Security and the step-relationship has existed for at least twelve months prior to applying for benefits. Also the child must depend on the stepparent for at least one-half of her financial support and maintenance. If the parent and stepparent divorce, the stepchild’s benefits will end the month following the month in which the divorce is final. Grandchildren may be eligible for benefits provided they meet several conditions:
Benefits are not payable on the work record of a parent.
Generally, the biological parents of the child must be deceased or disabled, or the grandchild must be legally adopted by the grandparent.
The grandchild must have begun living with the grandparent before age 18 and received at least one half of his or her support from the grandparent for the year before the month the grandparent became entitled to retirement or disability insurance benefits.
If the grandchild was born during the one-year period, the grandparent must have lived with and provided at least one-half of the child's support for substantially all of the period from the date of birth to the month the grandparent became entitled to benefits; and
The natural parent(s) of the child must not be making regular contributions to his or her support.
The grandchild may qualify for benefits under these circumstances, even if he or she is a step-grandchild. However, if the grandparents are already receiving benefits at the time they acquire the child, they would need to adopt the child before she can qualify for benefits.