“Kinship Care is the full-time care, nurturing, and protection of children by relatives, members of their tribes or clans, godparents, stepparents, or any adult who has a kinship bond with a child.”
- Child Welfare League of America
WHAT IS KINSHIP CARE?
Kinship care is the care of a child by relatives when the child's biological parents are unable or not suitable to do so.
Relatives include a child’s step-parent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, brother-in law, sister-in-law, first cousin, second cousin, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle, step-uncle, step-aunt, or any person of a proceeding generation as denoted by the prefix of grand, great or great-great, whether by blood, marriage or legal adoption, or the spouse of any person named in this subsection, even if the marriage is terminated by death or divorce.
Two Types of Kinship Care
Voluntary kinship: arranged within the family
Court-ordered: need to obtain license to receive benefits
Why?
Basic needs of the child can be better met with the relative than with the parent
Placement is in the best interest of the child
Child currently or possibly meets the requirements to be in need of protection or services if the child were to remain with his or her parent(s)
RESOURCES
INFORMATION
Facts about kinship care as a grandparent
KINSHIP GUIDE
General guidelines caring for children from substance abuse histories
LOCAL SUPPORT
Search county-specific resource centers in western Wisconsin
PARENTS AND SUBSTANCE USE
Find more information on parental substance use disorders and how they can affect children
CONTACT US
23122 Whitehall Road
PO Box 125
Independence, WI 54747
(715) 985-2391 ext. 1246