Child Welfare Information Gateway
Skip to main content
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
  • Administration for Children & Families
  • Children's Bureau
Child Welfare Information Gateway
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   

Home Topics Publications Library State Resources More Tools & Resources News & Events
REPORT ABUSE OR
NEGLECT
FIND HELP WITH A
PERSONAL SITUATION   
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Free Subscriptions
  • Resources in Spanish
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Chat
  • Resources in Spanish
  • Shopping Cart
  • Home
  • Topics
    • Family-Centered Practice
      • Philosophy and Key Elements of Family-Centered Practice
      • Family-Centered Practice Across the Service Continuum
      • Engaging Families
      • Family-Centered Casework Practice
      • Family Group Decision-Making
      • Engaging Communities to Support Families
      • Creating a Family-Centered Agency Culture
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Definitions of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Identification of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Risk Factors That Contribute to Child Abuse and Neglect
      • People Who Engage in Child Abuse or Neglect
      • Impact of Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Child Abuse & Neglect Fatalities
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
      • Overview: Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Promoting Child & Family Well-Being
      • Public Awareness & Creating Supportive Communities
      • Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Programs
      • Developing & Sustaining Prevention Programs
      • Evidence-Based Practice for Child Abuse Prevention
      • Evaluating Prevention Programs
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Introduction to Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
      • Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
      • Assessment in Child Protection
      • Differential Response in Child Protective Services
      • Child Protection Casework Practice
      • Responding to Child Maltreatment Near Fatalities and Fatalities
      • Trauma-Informed Practice in Child Welfare
      • Collaborative Responses to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
      • Supporting Families With Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
      • Introduction to Family Support and Preservation
      • In-Home Services Involved With Child Protection
      • Family Support Services
      • Resources for Managers of Family Support and Preservation Services
      • Family Preservation Services
    • Out-of-Home Care
      • National Foster Care Month
      • Overview: Out-of-Home Care
      • Foster Care
      • Group and Residential Care
      • Kinship Care
      • Casework Practice in Out-of-Home Care
      • Transition to Adulthood and Independent Living
      • Placement Decisions
      • Resources for Foster Families
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Overview: Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
      • Reunifying Families
      • Recruiting and Retaining Resource Families
      • Permanency With Relatives and Kin
      • Guardianship
      • Permanency for Specific Youth Populations
      • Legal and Court Issues in Permanency
      • Interjurisdictional Placements
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families in Permanency Planning
      • Working With Children, Youth, and Families After Permanency
      • Resources for Administrators and Managers About Permanency
      • Resources for Families About Permanency
    • Adoption
      • National Adoption Month
      • All-In Foster Adoption Challenge
      • Children's Bureau Adoption Call to Action
      • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
      • Introduction to Adoption
      • Ethical Issues in Adoption
      • For Adopted People
      • For Adoption Program Managers & Administrators
      • For Expectant Parents Considering Adoption and Birth Parents
      • How to Adopt
      • Laws Related to Adoption
      • Parenting After Adoption
      • Preplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Postplacement Adoption Casework Practice
      • Search & Reunion in Adoption
    • Management & Supervision
      • Administering & Managing Child Welfare Agencies & Programs
      • Child Welfare Practice Improvement
      • Disaster Preparedness & Response
      • Ethical Practice & Client Rights
      • Evaluating Program and Practice Effectiveness
      • Funding
      • Information Systems & Data
      • Supervising Child Welfare Services
      • System Reform
      • Training
      • Workforce
    • Systemwide
      • Assessment
      • Behavioral Health & Wellness
      • Courts
      • Cultural Responsiveness
      • Diverse Populations and Communities
      • Domestic Violence
      • Human Trafficking
      • Laws & Policies
      • Service Array
      • Statistics
      • Well-Being
      • Youth
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Topic
    • Browse by Title
    • índice de Títulos en Español (Spanish Title Index)
  • Library
    • Library Services
    • Library Search Help
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals Search
    • State-Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption and Guardianship Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Resources From the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Discretionary Grants
      • The Story of the Children's Bureau
      • Children's Bureau Video Series
    • Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Series
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Webinars
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • News & Events
    • Free Subscriptions
    • Adoption Triad
    • Children's Bureau Express (CBX)
    • The Grantee Connection
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
  • Promoting Child & Family Well-Being
  • Parenting Resources to Promote Family Well-Being
  • Parenting Resources for Relative/Kinship Caregivers

Parenting Resources for Relative/Kinship Caregivers

Kinship care, in its various forms, has become increasingly important in meeting the needs of children involved in the child welfare system. When children cannot remain safely with their parents, placement with relatives is the preferred option as it helps to maintain family connections and cultural traditions that can minimize the trauma of family separation. Find information written for relatives and kinship caregivers to help them care for their relatives' children, including State and local examples.

Grandfacts: State Fact Sheets for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children
Grandfamilies.org (2021)
Provides State-specific fact sheets, including information on kinship caregiver data, State programs and local resources, public benefits, educational assistance, legal information, and State laws. The website also includes national information along with resources for Washington, D.C.

Grandfamilies.org
Serves as a national legal resource in support of grandfamilies within and outside of the child welfare system. The organization works to educate individuals about State laws, legislation, and policy in support of grandfamilies and assist policymakers, advocates, caregivers, and others.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
Provides insight into the challenges and benefits of raising grandchildren. Additionally, this resource provides helpful tips to better navigate parenting.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
HelpGuide.org (2018)
Provides information for grandparents and other kinship caregivers including resources on feelings, self-care, support, focusing on creating a stable environment, communication, parental visits, and more.

Kinship Care and the Child Welfare System

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 419KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 460KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2022
Discusses issues of interest to the growing number of grandparents, other relatives, and family friends caring for children whose parents are unable to care for them. This factsheet is designed to help kin caregivers work effectively with the child welfare system. It also includes resources, such as links to more detailed information or places to find support, to help caregivers learn about and navigate the child welfare system.

Kinship Care Toolkit
New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports
Provides information on various subjects and having age-appropriate discussions. Additionally, interactive exercises are available for children in kinship care to help them express feelings and emotions.

Love Without Borders: Grandfamilies and Immigration (PDF - 3,325 KB)
Generations United (2019)
Highlights barriers faced by relatives caring for children while their parents are faced with detention or deportation. 

Partnering With Relatives to Promote Reunification

Series Title
Factsheets for Families
Author(s)
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability
View
Download (PDF - 346KB)
Order (Free)
Disponibilidad
Ver
Versión para imprimir (PDF - 397KB)
Ordene (Gratis)
Year Published
2020
Shares stories and advice from caregivers and birth parents who have experienced kinship care on the importance of maintaining boundaries, managing family dynamics, building trust, positive parenting and communication, and securing support.

(Back to Top)

State and local examples

Caregiver Resources
FosteringFamily
Provides training, assistance, and support for kinship caregivers.

Kinship Manual (PDF - 2,971 KB)
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (2018)
Handbook for relatives providing foster care for children in Texas. Also available in Spanish (PDF - 2,051 KB). 

Kinship Resources
Kids Matter INC.
Lists resources that can assist kinship caregivers, such as grandparents raising their grandchildren, young adults raising younger siblings, and all forms of kinship families. The site also links to national organizations with information on kinship care.

State Guides and Manuals Results Kinship Care for Relatives and Kin
Child Welfare Information Gateway
Links to State publications that describe child welfare services and provide guidance to child welfare professionals and families.

(Back to Top)

Spotlight On

State Kinship Care Contacts and Programs
Series Title: Related Organizations Lists
Author(s): Child Welfare Information Gateway

Children's Bureau - An office of the Administration for Children and Families

Child Welfare Information Gateway is a service of the

  • Children’s Bureau
  • Administration for Children and Families
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
↑ Back to top
  • HOME
  • TOPICS
    • Family-Centered Practice
    • Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Responding to Child Abuse & Neglect
    • Supporting & Preserving Families
    • Out-of-Home Care
    • Achieving & Maintaining Permanency
    • Adoption
    • Management & Supervision
    • Systemwide
  • National Initiatives
    • National Adoption Month
    • National Child Abuse Prevention Month
    • National Foster Care Month
  • Publications
    • Publications Series
    • Browse by Title
    • Browse by Topic
    • Índice de Títulos en Español
  • Library
    • Search the Library
  • State Resources
    • State Statutes
    • National Foster Care & Adoption Directory
    • State Guides & Manuals
    • State Related Organizations Lists
    • Adoption Assistance by State
  • More Tools & Resources
    • Related Organizations
    • Learning Center
    • Children's Bureau Resources
    • Information Gateway Podcast
    • Multimedia
    • Family Engagement Inventory
  • NEWS AND EVENTS
    • New on Information Gateway
    • New From the Children's Bureau
    • Event Calendar
  • ABOUT US
    • How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect
    • Find Help With a Personal Situation
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Glossary
    • Search A to Z
  • Contact Us
    • 1-800-394-3366
    • info@childwelfare.gov
    • Subscribe to Free Updates
    • Chat With Us
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on YouTube
  • POLICIES & HELPFUL LINKS
    • Disclaimer and Policies
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility
    • FOIA requests
    • No FEAR Act data
    • Office of the Inspector General
    • Performance reports
    • Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
    • USA.gov
    • Download Acrobat Reader
  • ↑ Back to top