Kinship Foster Care
Exploring Child Welfare by Joan Shireman
Kinship foster care, also called relative foster care, is a relatively
new adaptation of a long-used resource for children who cannot remain
within their own homes, but whose extended families have capacity to
care for them. Relatives have always taken in children who needed them.
This tradition continues. Of the approximately two million children in
the care of grandparents, aunts and uncles, and other relatives, only
about 200,000 are living in formal kinship care foster homes, homes that
are part of the child welfare system.
A formal kinship care foster home is one in which the relative home
meets foster care licensing standards, is under the supervision of the
child welfare agency, and receives payments for the child’s maintenance
as a non-kin family would. The use of relative’s homes within the
child welfare system has grown rapidly in recent
years; with most of the growth in numbers of foster homes being kinship
foster homes. Almost all states give preference to relatives when children
need out of home care. Uncertainties remain about
the appropriate assessment and licensing procedures for kinship foster
homes, and about the amount of training, support, and supervision they
need.
The needs of kinship foster homes differ from those
of traditional foster homes. While relatives may know the
child and have a good sense of the responsibility they are taking
on, they may need much more help in managing the complexities of
family relationships. Many kinship caregivers are African American;
many are women. Poverty is an issue. These characteristics suggest
that concrete services can be much appreciated. Placements with relatives tend
to be longer than those in traditional foster homes. Courts
routinely permit children to stay in relative foster care longer
than federal timelines allow, as they are already with family. A
sense of family obligation and attachment to the children make the
placements fairly stable, but older caretakers can become exhausted.
Respite care and support groups can be vital.
There is little literature concerning the long term outcomes of kinship
foster care. Though it has been with us, as informal care, for a long
time, it is a relatively new part of the child welfare system. As it
is used more frequently, and over a longer time span, outcome studies
will doubtless become available.
Resources on the web
ARCH National Resource Center for
Respite and Crisis Care Services. A
website devoted to illustration of the multiple uses and value of
respite services. Discussion of policy issues, laws, links to publications.
Annie E. Casey Foundation: The
website of a major child welfare organization with a focus on long term
foster care. Focuses on examination of critical issues and examination
of practice and policy:
Child Welfare League of America: A
major source of information and data about child welfare services. Lists
conferences, publications. The data system allows display of data in
varied tables to meet individual needs. Extensive catalog of publications.
Children's Defense Fund :
The site of a major advocacy organization, promoting children's welfare,
with particular emphasis on issues affecting black children. Discussion
of current issues, policy, laws. Excellent publications can be ordered,
some are available online.
Foster Kids Club: A
website for foster children, containing many contributions from foster
children, and creating opportunities for foster kids to communicate with
each other:
Foster Club for Grownups
who Care; A website for foster parents, containing informative
resources on many aspects of foster care, news updates, information
on issues such as taxes, adopting a foster child, links to other
websites providing statistics and research (such as a Time Magazine
article, or books about foster care).
National Black Child Development Institute: Information
on multiple aspects of child development for the black child. Focus on
training professionals and empowering parents to maximize child development--all
in the context of the African American culture. Links to partner organizations.
National Center
for Children in Poverty: an excellent site containing data
and policy discussions. Many discussion papers and publications can
be downloaded.
National Foster
Parent Association: The website of the national foster parent
association-- contains information of particular interest to foster
parents. Not a highly developed site.
National Indian Child Welfare Association: A
website which contains material of particular interest to those concerned
with child welfare issues among the Native American population, Material
about conferences, newsletters, discussions of policy issues, presentation
of research. Contains information often difficult to access.
Research and Training Center on
Family Support and Children’s Mental Health:The website
of a center which focuses on enabling families of children with serious
mental health problems to advocate for themselves and their children.
Discussion of issues, data trends, reports of conference. Publications
include some on therapeutic foster care.
State of Oregon
Department of Human Services, Department of Adults, Children, and
Families, children’s services: Describes services provided,
presents current data on Oregon children. (Most states have similar
sites.)
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families,
Administration on Children, Youth, and Families, Children’s
Bureau: a major source of information and quite easy to use.
It contains links to the AFCARS data reporting system, as well as
fact sheets reporting recent statistics on all aspects of foster
care. Laws and policies are described. Children's Bureau program
descriptions and funding announcements are on this site. Many government
publications can be downloaded.
Important books and articles
General
Child Welfare League of America (1994). Kinship Care: A Natural Bridge.
Washington D.C., Child Welfare League of America
Curtis, P. A., G. Dale Jr., C.K.Joshua, eds. ( 1999) The Foster Care
Crisis: Translating Research into Policy and Practice. Lincoln:
University of Nebraska Press
.Hagar, R. L. and M. Scnnapieco (1999) Kinship Foster Care: Policy,
Practice, and Research. New York, Oxford University Press.
Martin, J. A. (2000) Foster Family Care: Theory and Practice.
Boston, Allyn and Bacon
Triseliotis, J., C. Sellick, et al. (1995). Foster Care: Theory and
Practice. London, B. T. Batsford Ltd.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000). Report to the
Congress on Kinship Foster Care Part I. Washington, D. C., U. S;
Department of health and Human Services, Administration for Children
and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's
Bureau: 69.
Differences and similarities to traditional foster
care
Berrick, J. C., R. Barth, et al. (1994). "A Comparison of Kinship Foster
Homes and Foster Family Homes: Implications for Kinship Foster Care as
Family Preservation." Children and Youth Services Review 16: 34-50.
Dubowitz, H., S. Feigelman, et al. (1993). "A Profile of Kinship Care." Child
Welfare 72: 153-169.
Use of kinship foster care
Ingram, C. (1996). "Kinship Care; From Last Resort to First Choice." Child
Welfare LXXV(September/October 1996): 550-566.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000).
Report to the Congress on Kinship Foster Care. Part I. Washington, D.
C., U. S; Department of health and Human Services, Administration for
Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families,
Children's Bureau: 69.
U.S. General Accounting Office (1999) Foster Care: Kinship care quality
and permanency issues: Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee of
Human Resources, Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives.
Washington D. C., U.S. Government Printing Office
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