Question:  What is a kinship family?  (Julie)

In Arizona, one of the goals of the Department of Child Safety is to have children that come into care live with families that they are already connected with. The case manager will ask the parent(s) of the child that comes into care if they have any family or friends that are willing and able to care for their child.  DCS will take the list and vet the potential homes making sure they are safe for the child to be in; background checks, home safety inspection, and safety plan for interactions with the birth parents are a few of the items included in this process.  If a child is placed in one of these homes, they are considered to be in a kinship placement. If they are unable to find a family that already has a connection with the child, DCS will have a child placed in a foster home, group home, or shelter.

Per the most recent DCS report, there are 8,362 kids placed with a kinship family, 6,451 kids placed in foster homes, and 1,919 kids placed in group homes.

 

Thank you for your great question! If you have questions, send them to #youaskedfa or Kim@fosteraz.com