Kinship Families

Checklist for Kinship Caregivers Working with the Schools

Developed by Va Department of Education’s Family Engagement Network (FEN) and Formed Families Forward, this checklist is for any kinship caregiver who is enrolling a child or youth in schools and working with schools to get appropriate services and supports.

Supporting Educational Access for Kinship/Grandfamilies

This January 2023 resource from Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center at Generations United covers some areas of educational access for kinship families.

Fact sheet

Federal letter to Special Education Directors on High Quality Education for Highly Mobile Children

November 10, 2022

This federal letter from the US Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services issued 11/10/22 to State Special Education Directors clarifies requirements for highly mobile children and youth such as military-connected children, migratory children, children who are homeless, and children in the foster care system.

Specific issues addressed are:

Highly mobile children should have timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations.
Comparable services include services during the summer, such as Extended School Year (ESY) services.

Working with Kinship Caregivers Checklist for Schools

This checklist developed by Virginia Department of Education’s Family Engagement Network (FEN) and Formed Families Forward offers schools a checklist for school staff to use when working with relative or kinship caregivers raising children and youth.

Foster Care, Special Education, and Learning and Thinking Differences: What You Need to Know

This brief article from Understood.org overviews some education issues specific to children and youth in foster care to foster/resource parents.

Kinship Caregiving Options: Considerations for Caregivers

December 30, 2021

Kinship Caregiving Options: Considerations for Caregivers was developed in partnership with the ABA Center on Children and the Law, Children’s Defense Fund, and Generations United, with support from Casey Family Programs. The publication provides a broad, national overview of choices that may be available to caregivers, along with related considerations, to help caregivers make more informed decisions about pathways to pursue.

Report

How to Care for You: Self Care and Kinship webinar

Presented live on January 14, 2022, this webinar hosted by FFF features Monique Lilakos, DSW, LCSW, of Higher Purpose Coaching and Mentoring, LLC. Dr. Lilakos presented on challenges faced by kinship caregivers, how self care can support resilience, and offered specific self care techniques.

Recording of webinar
Webinar presentation slides

Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: National TA Center

Generations United operates the first National Technical Assistance Center on Grandfamilies and Kinship Families (NTAC), funded through a five-year cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living (ACL).

Contact Generations United directly for more information. https://www.gu.org/projects/ntac-on-grandfamilies-and-kinship-families/

Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center

COVID-19/Emergency Preparedness Resource Guide For Kinship Families and Grandfamilies

From the US Administration for Community Living and the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Advisory Group, a compilation of resources for kinship care families.

Adoption and Transfer of Legal Custody for Children in Kinship Foster Care: Comparison Chart for Virginia

From Generations United, updated in 2021.

This chart is designed to help kinship foster parents compare adoption and transfer of legal custody as two options that kin caregivers and the children in their care can pursue to exit foster care and create permanent families. In Virginia, children can exit foster care with their kin caregiver through adoption or transfer of legal custody.

The Case for Kinship Care: UMFS Kinship Care White Paper

This white paper explores current barriers, evidence for the benefits of kinship care, historical information on the foster care system, best practices and principles, and highlights the kinship work currently being done at UMFS. It addresses Virginia-specific barriers to kinship care.

GAO Report: HHS Could Enhance Support for Grandparents and Other Relative Caregivers

From July 2020, this report examines (1) what is known about the numbers of grandparents and other kin serving as primary caregivers for children, and the reasons for that care; (2) challenges kin caregivers face and how officials report addressing them in selected communities; and (3) the extent to which HHS has supported states’ efforts to use relevant federal programs and initiatives.

GAO analyzed U.S. Census Bureau survey and HHS administrative data; reviewed relevant literature, federal laws, regulations, guidance, and other documents; and interviewed officials from HHS, national organizations, and in four states (Mississippi, New Mexico, New York, and Ohio) and communities, selected for their relatively large numbers of grandparent caregivers and to reflect geographic and demographic diversity.

GAO Report

American Community Survey: Why We Ask Questions About… Grandparents as Caregivers

This brief explains questions asked on the US Census American Community Survey about grandparents as caregivers. Data from 2018 is shared.

Introducing Kinship Care Primer video

From JFS Connecting Hearts, this 25 minute video reviews the basics of kinship care in Virginia, including Family First Act implementation.

Video link

Ask An Expert: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Family Issues

A column from Heidi Redlich Epstein, director of Kinship Policy and director of State Projects at the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law.

Legal Issues column

Northern Post Adoption Regional Consortium

Funded by Va Department of Social Services, the Northern Post Adoption Regional Consortium offers case management, crisis supports, training, and other services for post-adoptive families. It is a partnership between The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), enCircle, Children’s Home Society and NACAC to offer post adoption services and supports.

All families who have finalized adoptions of children ages birth through 18 years and reside in Virginia are eligible for services at no cost. This includes families that have adopted domestically, internationally and through foster care.

Consortium Flyer for families
Consortium Flyer for professionals
Website

Virginia Custody and Guardianship info from Commission on Youth

Shared in June 2020, these presentations to the Virginia Commission on Youth cover legal and technical provisions for child custody cases in Virginia as well as Guardianship, Entrustment, and Kinship Arrangements in Virginia.

Overview of Guardianship, Entrustment, and Kinship Arrangements in Virginia presentation to Commission
Legal Framework for Child Custody Cases presentation to Commission

Kinship Care: Know Your Rights as a Relative Caretaker

From Virginia Poverty Law Center, a review of kinship caregiver rights and benefits.

Engaging Families in Mental Health and Disability Services tip sheet

This one pager from the new Northern Virginia Family Network (NVFN) designed for professional staff who work with families and youth. It offers some brief, straightforward suggestions and reminders about effectively communicating and building partnerships with families who are in need of education, mental health, disability and other services and supports.

Members of the NVFN are found on the back of the flyer.

Raising and Working with Children and Youth in Foster Care or Living with Kin: Your Guide to Resources in Virginia

This Guide from Virginia Family Special Education Connection offers families and professionals links to state- and local-specific resources for enrolling students, education, medical care, mental health, transitioning students to post-secondary settings, courts, and other areas.

Website resource
Flyer

Summary of Family First Prevention Act

Signed into law in February 2018, the Family First Prevention Act reforms child welfare funding streams and focuses on prevention supports for families “at risk” of foster care, and adds supports for kinship navigation and other kinship initiatives.

Summary by First Focus Campaign for Children