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Kinship Caregivers and the Child Welfare System
Factsheet for Families

Author(s):  Child Welfare Information Gateway

Year Published:  2005

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You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - Different Types of Kinship Care 2 - How the Child Welfare System… 3 - What to Expect From the Child… 4 - Services 5 - Involvement of the Courts 6 - Permanent Arrangements for the… 7 - Conclusion 8 - Further Resources 9 - Bibliography

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A number of grandparents and other relatives find themselves serving as parents for children whose own parents are unable to care for them. Sometimes, the arrangement (referred to as "kinship care") is an informal, private arrangement between the parents and relative caregivers; in other situations, the child welfare system is involved. This factsheet is designed to help kinship caregivers—including grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other relatives caring for children — work effectively with the child welfare system.¹

The child welfare system varies from State to State, but it generally includes public agencies such as departments of social services or family and children's services.² These State agencies often work with private child welfare agencies to provide services for families and children. Caseworkers at these agencies are required by law to ensure the safety, well-being, and permanent living arrangements of children. Their responsibilities include investigating reports of child abuse and neglect and arranging for services for children and families.

This factsheet addresses a number of topics relevant for kinship caregivers:

• Different types of kinship care, including private, voluntary, and foster care
• How and when the child welfare system becomes involved in kinship care
• What kin caregivers might expect from the child welfare system
• Services that may be available and how to access them
• Involvement of the courts
• Permanent living arrangements for the children
• Further resources
• Bibliography

Table of Contents

1 - Different Types of Kinship Care

2 - How the Child Welfare System Becomes Involved in Kinship Care

3 - What to Expect From the Child Welfare System

4 - Services

5 - Involvement of the Courts

6 - Permanent Arrangements for the Children

7 - Conclusion

8 - Further Resources

9 - Bibliography

¹ A complete guide to working with the child welfare system can be found in McCarthy et al.'s A Family's Guide to the Child Welfare System at http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/files/products_publications/AFamilysGuide.pdf. (For the full reference, see the Bibliography.) Back
² State-specific information for kinship caregivers is available on the Children's Defense Fund website at http://www.childrensdefense.org/childwelfare/kinshipcare/fact_sheets/default.aspx. Back

You are in section: Table of Contents 1 - Different Types of Kinship Care 2 - How the Child Welfare System… 3 - What to Expect From the Child… 4 - Services 5 - Involvement of the Courts 6 - Permanent Arrangements for the… 7 - Conclusion 8 - Further Resources 9 - Bibliography

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Updated on October 9, 2009