Kinship Care Families

Kinship caregivers provide temporary or permanent homes in response to the needs of children whose parents are unable to care for them.

Kinship Care includes relationships established through an informal arrangement, a legal custody or guardianship order, a relative foster care placement, or adoption.

Kinship care is considered the most desirable out-of-home placement option for children who cannot live with their parents, as it offers children stability, the chance to maintain their sense of belonging, and the ability to remain connected with their family’s culture and traditions.

Kinship caregivers have proven they can ensure that children are safe and able to reach their potential, despite barriers that include navigating legal processes and bureaucratic red tape. In addition, kin are often challenged by sudden and sometimes unexpected placements, with little time to prepare and few resources or supports to assist them in caring for children who have likely suffered the trauma of abuse, neglect, or abandonment.

We hope the materials on this site will be of assistance to Ohio’s kinship caregivers who have stepped up to raise children whose parents cannot care for them.