What Is Kinship Care?
Kinship care, in its most basic form, is an arrangement in which a child who has gone into the custody of the state can be cared for by one of the child's relatives.
According to New York City Caregiver, to be considered a candidate for kinship care you must be one of the following:
- aunts
- brothers
- sisters
- great aunts
- cousins
- grandparents
- husbands and wives of the aforementioned respectively
Why Kinship Care?
Generally, when a parent loses custody of their child, the state will try to eventually reunite the child with his or her parent. The goal of the state isn't to separate the family for more than necessary.
For situations where it looks like the parent will be able to eventually regain custody, or for the state agency to determine its next plan for the child, kinship care allows the child's family to step in and care for the child privately on a temporary basis.
The Pros and Cons of Kinship Care
The Pros
- Keeps the child with family members
- Gives the child more stability
- Allows grandparents or other relatives to continue being part of the child's life
- Eligibility for kinship care isn't too strenuous once the familial relationship status is met
The Cons
- Kinship care amounts to temporary physical custody
- Major decisions can't be made without the consent of the state or the agency with legal custody
- Foster care payments aren't available to kinship care providers
Is Kinship Care the Right Option For Me?
As with any question related to custody arrangements for children who have been taken from their homes, the answer here is that it depends.
If it appears that the parent will soon meet the requirements for custody, kinship care might be a quick and easy final solution.
On the other hand, if you want to care for the child permanently, you may have to consider using kinship care as a stepping stone to formal adoption or guardianship.
Contact us to find out more about your options if you're considering the adoption of a relative.
To learn more about adoptions, contact our Adoptions From The Heart offices in:
Greensburg, PA (Pittsburgh)
1225 S Main St #207
Greensburg, PA 15601
(724) 853-6533
Philadelphia, PA
30 Hampstead Cir
Wynnewood, PA 19096
(610) 642-7200
Allentown, PA
2212 Union Blvd
Allentown, PA 18109
(610) 432-2384
