When parents are unable to care for their children, whether temporarily or long-term, children are best served by staying within their extended families. National Kinship Care Month recognizes the unconditional love, support, and sacrifices of those caring for a loved one’s children. These kinship caregivers include young adults who postpone going to college to support and care for younger siblings and keep them out of foster care. They are retired grandparents who return to work to provide for their grandchildren. They are close family friends who make room for one more to ensure a child stays connected to their family, community, and culture. They are the kids who willingly share their space with their cousins whose parents are struggling.
Millions of children in the U.S. are being cared for full-time by relatives and friends. Even though kinship families lovingly and willingly enter caregiving, it isn’t without challenges. We can support these families with something as simple as an encouraging word or an offer of help with an everyday task such as school pickup or babysitting.
For those of you providing kinship care, know that we celebrate you. Know that you are not alone. Know that it is normal to feel overwhelmed some days. Know that it’s okay to ask for help, and resources are available. Most of all, know that you are making a difference in the lives of the children you love and care for.
If you are a kinship family looking for resources, please get in touch with us at 414-475-1246 or info@coalitionforcyf.org.
Recommended Resources
From the Lending Library
Training & Resources From Champion Classrooms
Inspiration & Hope From No Matter What Families
Additional Coalition Resources
- Comprehensive Relative Caregiver Resources
- Relative Caregiver Support Group Discussion Kits
- E-Series: Relative Caregiving
Additional Resources
- Kinship Care – Kids Matter Inc.
- Engaging Kinship Caregivers With Joseph Crumbley
- All Our Kin: Strategies for Survival in a Black Community, by Carol Stack
