Kinship Care, in its various forms, must be a first consideration when it comes to African American children entering (and currently in) the foster care system. Kinship caregivers must receive adequate assistance so that they can best meet the needs of the children in their care. Kinship Care policies must be responsive to the particularities of African American culture and the inherent extended family support system. While relatives may step forward to care for children within the extended family network, this should not be seen as "replacing" the mother and father. We believe, on a fundamental level, that the American approach toward "terminating the rights of a parent" to care for their child is not healthy and can potentially be extremely counterproductive.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Kinship Care Position Paper
Developed by: Robert B. Hill, PhD; Zelma S. Smith, MSW, CSW; Jacquelyn Bailey Kidd; Marcia Williams, MSW
October 2002
Published by: National Association of Black Social Workers, Inc.
National Kinship Care Task Force
Click here to read Position Paper.
Kinship Care Resource Kit for Community and Faith-Based Organizations: Helping Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children
Published by: Children's Defense Fund
Click here for more information about Kinship Care Resource Kit.
Click here to download Kinship Care Resource Kit (PDF file - 84 pages).
Information Packet: Kinship / Relative Care
By Katherine Maurer
May 2002
Published by: National Resource Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning
Hunter College School of Social Work
Click here to access National Resource Center's Kinship Care Resources page.
Click here to download Information Packet (PDF file - 16 pages).
Children Cared for By Their Relatives: Who Are They and How Are They Faring?
By Jennifer Ehrle, Rob Green, and Rebecca Clark
Published by: Urban Institute
February 2001
Quote from the concluding paragraph:
"Ideally, a service system to support these families would capitalize on the benefits children gain from being plcaed with kin while at the same time providing the resources that relatives need to create environments that don't promote children's well-being."
Click here to download full document (PDF file - 8 pages).
Kinship Foster Care: Custody, Hardship, and Services
By Jenneifer Ehrle, Rob Green, and Regan Main
Published by: Urban Institute
November 2003
Click here to download full document (PDF file - 2 pages).
Informal Kinship Care in Minnesota: A Pilot Study
Final Report to the Minnesota Kinship Caregivers Association
By Priscilla A. Gibson, Ph.D. and Terry Lum, Ph.D.
Published by: Minnesota Kinship Caregivers Association
May 2003
Click here to download full document (PDF file - 59 pages).
Foster Children Placed WIth Relatives Often Receive Less Government Help
By Rob Green
Published by: Urban Institute
April 2003
Quote from the concluding paragraph:
“Foster children can benefit from the love and commitment of kinship caregivers and from a sense of belonging and permanency. However, these children still experience the trauma of being separated from their parents. Whether they are placed with kin or non-kin foster parents, foster children require considerable support. Child welfare agencies need to reflect on the uniqueness of kinship care arrangements and develop strategies to ensure that kinship caregivers have the necessary knowledge and resources to best care for children entrusted to them.”
Click here to dowload document (PDF file - 6 pages).
Children Placed in Foster Care With Relatives: A Multi-state Study
Final Report - Executive Summary
By Sandra Stukes Chipungu, PhD; Joyce E. Everett, PhD; Mary Jeanne Verdieck, PhD; and Hudith Jones, MA
November 19, 1998
Published by: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
Click here to read about this publication.
EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS
A Second Chance, Inc.
204 N. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Telephone: (412) 665-2300
Website: http://www.asecondchance-kinship.com
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gleeson, J.P. (1995). Kinship care and public child welfare: Challenges and opportunities for social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 31, 182-193.
Hill, R. (1971). Informal adoption among Black families. Washington, DC: National Urban League.
Hill, R. (1972). The strengths of Black families. New York: Emerson Hall.
Lawrence-Webb, C. (1997). African American children in the modern child welfare system: A legacy of the Flemming Rule, Child Welfare, 76, 9-30.
Leashore, B., Chipungu, S.S., & Everett, J. (1991). Child Welfare: An africentric perspective. NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Sudarkasa, N. (1996). The strength of our mothers - African American women and families: Essays and speeches. TRenton, NJ: African World Press.
Sudarkasa, N. (1981). Interpreting the African heritage in Afro-American family organization. In H.P. McAdoo (Ed.), Black families (pp. 37-53). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
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