Kinship Care

The Child Welfare League of America defines kinship care as “the full-time care, nurturing and protection of children by relatives, members of their tribes or clans, godparents, stepparents, or any adult who has a kinship bond with a child.” Kinship care allows a child to grow into an adult within a family environment that is respectful of the child's cultural values and ties of affection. In kinship care, children can live with an adult relative either informally or formally in foster care as part of the child welfare system. Kin caregivers can be anyone related to the child (aunt, uncle, adult brother or sister, second cousin, grandmother, or grandfather). Many children are in kinship care with their grandparents. Informal kinship care or care provided by ...