The Powerful Benefits of Kinship Care

When children are unable to remain with their parents due to difficult circumstances, finding a safe and supportive home is the top priority. According to “Who Cares”, a national database on foster care capacity, 15,196 youth resided in an out-of-home placement in 2023. Of those, approximately 15% were in kinship care. Kinship care is a living arrangement in which a child is placed under the care of relatives or close family friends, rather than with non-related foster caregivers. While foster care is an important and necessary resource, kinship care offers distinct advantages that can positively impact a child’s well-being and future.

One of the biggest challenges for children removed from their parents is the disruption to their lives. Kinship care provides stability, as children are often able to stay in environments they know and continue attending the same schools. This continuity helps reduce the trauma they experience, allowing them to hold onto some of their everyday life.

Furthermore, a familial environment brings an extra level of emotional support to a child during a tough time. Kinship caregivers already understand the child’s background, family history, and culture. “Kinship care is the bridge that connects children to their roots, preserving their identity and maintaining an attachment with their family history,” states Tiffany White, LISW-S, Fidelity Director of The Village Network’s treatment foster care program. The shared knowledge between a child and their family helps children transition more easily, as they are in an environment that’s familiar and comforting.

Kinship care also plays a vital role in preserving the child’s cultural identity. When children remain with family members, they are more likely to stay connected to their traditions, language, and community. This is especially important for children from minority or indigenous backgrounds, where maintaining cultural roots helps foster a powerful sense of self. Feeling connected to their heritage allows children to grow up with confidence in who they are and where they come from.

Kinship care offers children the opportunity to stay connected to their family, culture, and identity, while providing a stable and supportive environment. The emotional support, familiarity, and continuity it offers lead to better long-term outcomes in education, health, and emotional well-being.

The Village Network is a nonprofit, experienced, multi-disciplined behavioral health nonprofit organization helping youth and families become resilient, healthy, and have brighter futures. If you have concerns about a young person in your life, contact us to be connected to available resources. To improve the lives of at-risk youth, donate today. 

References & Further Reading

Bramlett, M. D., Radel, L. F., & Chow, K. (2017). Health and Well-Being of Children in Kinship Care: Findings from the National Survey of Children in Nonparental Care. Child welfare, 95(3), 41–60.

Kinship Care (2024). Ohio Foster, Adoption & Kinship Care.

Merav J., Xu, Y., Shaw, T.V. (2020), Kinship care first? Factors associated with placement moves in out-of-home care. Children and youth services review, 115.

Washington, T., Stewart, C.J., & Rose, R. A. (2021). Academic trajectories of children in formal and informal kinship care. Child Development, 92(6), 2299-2316.

Who Cares: A National Count of Foster Homes and Families (2023).The Imprint.