Kinship

Elements of a support and service system for kinship care

The concept of "kinship care" has emerged in the lexicon of child welfare services and practices only over the past two decades. Relatives and other aignitficant adults in families' lives have always played a role in raising children when their parents could not care for them. The care, nurturing, and protection of children by extended family is, in fact, a longstanding tradition in all cultures.

This report addresses the whole spectrum of child-caring arrangements known as kinship care. We offer here a guide for the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies, programs, practices, services, and supports for kinship families.

The report includes:

• A brief overview that examines the cultural traditions and nature of kinship care, including working definitions of "formal" and "informal" kinship care
• An outline of 10 guiding principles that are needed of all kinship families
• A discussion of 20 compenents of an optimal service delivery system: one that recognizes the value of kinship care, the strengths and needs of kinship families, and the obligations of the child welfare system-working in collaboration with other key service systems and community-based organizations-to respond appropriately to the needs of kinship families
• A glosary of terms
• A bibliography

A consensus process generated the recommendations in this report. It draws on the experience and expertise of people who know kinship care from different perspectives: Casey Family Programs staff who work closely with kinship families, child welfare experts outside Casey, the judiciary, research organizations and universities, and, last but not least, kinship family members, including adults and children.

Click here to view the Commitment to Kin Report