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Specialized Services for Kinship Caregivers
Family support services for kinship caregivers must take into account that kin are likely to be single, older, in poorer health, and financially less secure than nonrelative caregivers, while children in their care are generally younger and often need special services. These families generally receive few economic supports and are less likely to be aware of services available to them once a child is placed in their care. In addition, they may not have support from extended family, peers, or the community in general.
Commonly needed supports include financial assistance, childcare, respite, medical care, and training in parenting skills. Family mediation or counseling is also often needed to assist caregivers and birth parents in resolving conflicts, easing the difficulties of parenting a relative's child, and achieving a permanent plan for the child.
GrandCare Support Locator
AARP Foundation
Connects grandparents with national, State, and local services that support grandparents or other relative caregivers as well as grandparents facing visitation issues.
National Center on Grandfamilies
Generations United
Works to improve access to services and create supportive programs and laws for families headed by grandparents and other relatives who share their homes with grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and/or other related children. Also see the State fact sheets and other resources.
Kinship Navigator Projects
National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections
Describes projects funded through the Children's Bureau's Family Connection Grants Program to assist kinship caregivers in learning about, finding, and using programs and services to meet their needs and the needs of the children they are raising.
Kinship Navigator Programs: Narrative Analysis
Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Resource Center
Reviews State initiatives that provide information, referrals, and follow-up services to grandparents and other relatives raising children to link them to the benefits and services they or the children need.
Children Cared for by Relatives: What Services Do They Need?
Macomber & Geen (2002)
Examines access to services enjoyed by kin involved with child welfare agencies, compared with kin caring for children privately. (PDF - 187 KB)
The Grandparent's and Other Relative Caregiver's Guide to Child Care and Early Childhood Education Programs: What You Need to Know to Give the Child You Are Raising a Head Start (PDF - 370 KB)
Children's Defense Fund (2002)
Answers questions grandparents might have in accessing childcare and educational services.
Juggling the Multiple Facets of Case Management with Relative Caregiver Families (PDF - 585 KB)
Haner & Bouchard
The Source, 12(1), 2003
Case studies are used to illustrate the support needs of relative caregivers.
| Kinship Caregivers and the Child Welfare System | |
| Series Title: | Factsheets for Families |
| Author(s): | Child Welfare Information Gateway |
| Availability: | View Download (PDF - 335KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
| Year Published: | 2010 - 15 pages |
| Informal and formal kinship care arrangements help to ensure stability and protection for children within their extended family. This fact sheet describes the benefits of kinship care as a child protection alternative and examines the agency's responsibility for the placement. The placement decision-making process, what to expect from the child welfare service and court system, and financial support, available services, and permanency planning are discussed. Questions for new kin caregivers to ask and a list of additional references are provided. | |
Respite Services to Support Grandfamilies (PDF - 235 KB)
ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center (2010)
Considers the unique challenges facing grandfamilies who have become the primary caregivers for relative children and offers suggestions for support, funding opportunities, and examples of respite programs that provide appropriate services.