September is National Kinship Care Month, and DePelchin is celebrating the relatives and family friends who open their hearts and homes to the children in their lives. When a child can no longer safely live with their parents, these special caregivers step in to provide love, create stability, preserve family connections, and build brighter futures for children!
What is Kinship Care?
Kinship care occurs when children are cared for by relatives or close family friends when they can no longer safely live with their parents. Caregivers may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, godparents, or other trusted adults who have a close relationship with the child.
For children facing family challenges, living with someone they know and trust can help ease the disruption and uncertainty that comes with big life transitions.
Why Kinship Care Matters
Kinship caregivers provide more than a safe home. They offer familiarity, continuity, and a sense of belonging when children need it most. The type of care makes a big difference by providing:
- Greater stability: Children in kinship care are more likely to experience fewer placement changes, allowing them to remain in a consistent home environment and maintain their routines.
- Stronger family connections: Living with relatives or family friends helps children preserve important relationships with siblings, grandparents, and extended family members.
- Improved emotional well-being: Being cared for by someone familiar can reduce the trauma and stress associated with family separation, helping children feel more secure.
- Continuity in school and community: Kinship caregivers often help children stay in the same school, neighborhood, and extracurricular activities, minimizing disruption during a difficult time.
- Preservation of cultural identity and traditions: Children can maintain family customs, language, heritage, and traditions that are important to their sense of identity.
- Better long-term outcomes: Research has shown that children in kinship care often have better behavioral, mental health, and permanency outcomes than children placed with non-relative caregivers.
Celebrate Kinship Caregivers With Us
Many of these caregivers take on their role unexpectedly, often making major adjustments to uplift and support the children in their care. Many adopt their homes, schedules, finances, and daily routines to ensure children have the stability and love they need to thrive.
Their willingness to step in demonstrates the power of family and community in helping children overcome one of the most challenging times they will experience in their lives.
If you know a kinship caregiver, join us in thanking them for their dedication to the children in our communities this month – and all year-round!