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One of the things you may hear discussed is “kinship care.” What does that mean? Well, it seems to be self-explanatory. Kinship care means that the child is in the care of a relative.
The relationship with the child can vary. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins can all be caregivers for a relative minor child if they interested, appropriate and capable caregivers. This is determined by a background check from social services, along with other determining criteria.
Kinship care is not at all unusual. About one third of all children in foster care (approximately 200,000 children) are in a kinship care arrangement. These statistics do not necessarily include children who were voluntarily placed with a relative by a birth parent.
If it all possible, it is preferred that the child stay within their family of origin. I am all for that when it is in the best interest of the child. Who wants a child to leave their family if they don’t have to? In my kids’ cases, it has not been appropriate. In Hannah’s case, she suffered more abuse while in kinship care.
One of the problems with kinship care is pointed out by the Urban Institute in their report. Many of the children are living below the poverty level, in single caregiver environments or with a caregiver without a high school education.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying any of these are terrible environments or detrimental to the child, but these are not usually the case in foster care. The single parent environment would be the most common of the three.
One other disadvantage is that kinship care providers do not receive the same monthly stipend as foster or adoptive parents. I don’t understand why, but that’s the way it works. There is a significant difference and can be harmful to the child, and potentially disrupt what could be a good placement. Around here, the kinship payments are around $250 a month. That is barely enough to feed and clothe a child, much less care for all the extra physical and emotional needs that the child will have. It can set the placement up to fail when a child could remain in the family of origin. It’s not fair to the child.
If we want to help our children, someone needs to take a look at the kinship care system.
Where I am at in Arkansas, if the relative takes PRIDE classes and goes through the steps to become a licensed foster home they receive the same stipend as any other foster placement. Many in our class had nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. They receive NO stipend at all if they do not complete the process and they receive NO money at all until the process is complete….then the stipend begins. Really unfair and one reason why many family members do not step foward in TPR cases or others around here. They are intimidated by the process and some cannot afford the 3-6 months out of their own pocket caring for the child while doing the classes etc.
Kim
I really don’t understand why relatives don’t get a stipend at all. At the very least, they should have daycare paid for and qualify for a stipend based on income (not welfare benefits per se, but a separate program). I can see this being a huge issue within families. You have your own children to feed and clothe and are being responsible doing that, then you have a irresponsible relative who wants you to take their kids and it only makes your life more difficult. I kept a nephew for nine months while his mom “Got her life together” – translation, found another boyfriend to support her and her kids – and she received child support from my b-i-l the whole time, which did NOT get passed on to him or me. I was a tad resentful of that since I was constantly handing the child money for field trips and lunch money and he came to live with me with the clothes on his back (not even a backpack for school or a pair of shoes he could wear out in public).
It’s a giant flaw in the system and can be a barrier to keeping kids away from their biological families. Not in the best interest of the child or the families.
Im in the process of adopting my sisters 3
children. I can say it is a total blessing
I really dont care about the money. These
children are apart of me.I actually have
had the children for 8 yrs before starting
the adoption process.I gave my sister so’
many chances.Then for the kids sainity and
my own, they needed to have somewhere
safe for always. I’am going thru the same
legal process as other foster parents
but am able to know the child and know
thier history. Yet that doesn’t always
make it easier.It can make me very resentful
of my sister. But at least I know Im trying
to give the kids the best chance I can.
Isnt that what foster parents do? All of
us.