o Definitions
§ Kinship care is “a service that can provide children with stability and continuity while, at the same time, addressing the disproportionate representation of children and families of color affected by the current system” (Freundlich, Morris, & Hernandez, 2003).
§ Informal and Formal
· Kinship care is “the full time care, nurturing, and protection of children by relatives (through blood, adoption, or marriage); tribes or clan members; godparents; stepparents; or any adult who has a bond which the family/youth recognizes as significant to the child/family” (Freundlich, Morris, & Hernandez, 2003).
· Informal kinship care is “parenting of children by kin as a result of a decision by the family…[wherein] a social worker may be involved in helping family members plan for the child, but a child welfare agency does not assume legal custody of or responsibility for the child. Because the parents still have custody of the child, kin need not be approved, licensed, or supervised by the state, yet the kin provides the full time care, protection and nurturing that the child needs” (Freundlich, Morris, & Hernandez, 2003).
· Formal kinship care is “parenting of children by kin as a result of a determination by the court and the child protective service agency. The courts rule that the child must be separated from his or her parents because of abuse, neglect, dependency, abandonment or special medical circumstances. Formal kinship care is linked to state and federal child welfare laws because the child is placed in the legal custody of the child welfare agency, yet the kin provide the full time care, protection and nurturing that the child needs” (Freundlich, Morris, & Hernandez, 2003).
