It’s National Kinship Care Month, a time to honor the role of relatives and non-related kin who provide loving homes for children when their birth parents are unable to care for them. This might include grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, family friends, coaches, teachers or neighbors who have an existing relationship with the child. The goal of kinship care is to maintain the child’s connection to their normal surroundings — both family and community.

When a child needs to be placed out of home, finding caring relatives or non-related kin such as teachers or neighbors is a top priority for KVC. “We dig deep into the family tree and try to contact anyone for possible placement,” shares Kimberly Smith, LPC, Director of Kinship Services. “Kinship care can be more like building a family forest than a family tree.” Kinship care helps children maintain connections to their roots and receive the support and love of their extended family. Learn more about kinship care!