How to Find Kinship Connections

Grandparents who are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren are kinship caregivers.

A kinship caregiver is someone who cares for a child, full time, in their home, who is not the child's parent. A kinship caregiver can be a relative, such as an aunt, cousin or grandparent. It can also be a friend or another person who is not related to the child. Children who are taken from their homes by Social Service workers because of parents' inability to provide care for their children can be placed in kinship care instead of foster care if a connection is found. Kinship care keeps families together and saves states money on foster care services.

Instructions

1. Get names and contact information of existing family and friends from the parents of the child in need of placement.

2. Pull school and Department of Social Services records on the child and the family, if the parents will not or cannot provide information on relatives and friends.

3. Contact all known relatives and family friends, informing them of the child's removal from his home, and explaining their rights to provide care for the child. They also must be told of possible negative effects of foster care on the child.

4. Receive petitions from relatives or friends who wish to take custody of the child and be named kinship caregiver.

5. Assess the petitions. The court must grant custody of the child to a relative or friend for a kinship connection.

References

• New York State Kinship Navigator: Frequently Asked Questions
• VA Family Connections: Fact Sheet

Resources

• Indiana Department of Child Services: Kinship Caregiver FAQ