Spotlight on National Kinship Care Month
Dear friends,
National Kinship Care Month is recognized in September and is a time to celebrate kinship caregivers, promote the importance of kinship care and share essential resources for these vital relationships. Kinship care is the full-time protection and nurturing of children by relatives, members of their Tribes or clans, godparents, stepparents, fictive kin or non-related extended family members. [1] As of July 2024, approximately 28% of the total amount of Texas children in foster care are in kinship care —5,890 children— a number we hope continues to grow! At Texas CASA, we know the benefits of kinship care far outweigh traditional foster care placement. Here are a few reasons why this placement is preferred according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services:
- Provides love and care in a familiar setting;
- Provides parents with a sense of hope that children will remain connected to them and their birth families;
- Enables children to live with people they know and trust;
- Reinforces a child’s sense of cultural identity and positive self-esteem;
- Helps a child make and sustain extended family connections;
- Continues lifelong family traditions and memories;
- Supports the child in building healthy relationships within the family;
- Supports the child’s need for safety and well-being; and
- Creates a sense of stability in the life of a child.
In Texas, courts are required to consider a temporary placement with a relative and ask the parents to tell DFPS how to contact relatives who may be able to care for their children at least temporarily. [2] This requirement opens the doors for kin to help their families involved in the child welfare system as soon as possible. However, some kin members may become involved well after placement is needed. Programs like the Texas CASA Collaborative Family Engagement initiative help identify and nurture the relationship between family members so early kinship care placement is possible.
As child welfare advocates, one of the ways we can all play a part in promoting kinship care is by sharing the available resources in Texas with your network. Relatives or fictive kin often want to help during a crisis, but don’t know where to start. We identified a few helpful resources that can be shared directly with families: DFPS Kinship Care Quarterly Newsletter (see bottom of page), DFPS Kinship Manual in English and Spanish and the Child Welfare Information Gateway Kinship Care Resources for Caregivers. If you are looking for information to share with CASA volunteers or other child welfare professionals, here are a few resources: Advances in Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast, The Fix Episode Featuring Katie Olson on Supporting Kinship Caregivers, Hear My Voice – Kalynda’s Story and Latino Grandfamilies Toolkit.
Texas CASA sends a heartfelt thank you to all of the kinship care providers across the state. We will continue to shine a light on the importance of your work and acknowledge the sacrifices you make for your loved ones — it does not go unnoticed.
Warmly,
References
[1]https://www.kidsandfamilies.org/national-kinship-awareness-month/
