Kinship Foster Care

SUPPORTING KINSHIP CAREGIVERS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY

KINSHIP FOSTER CARE

Whether you’re providing a safe home temporarily or planning to take permanent guardianship or adopt, we’re here to walk alongside you throughout the journey.

Kinship foster care offers children the stability of familiar surroundings while their birth parents work through the challenges that led to their removal. When a child cannot remain at home, relatives or close family friends—like grandparents, aunts, uncles, or trusted adults—are often the first considered for placement. This helps ensure the child stays connected to their roots, their culture, and the people who love them.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOSTERING & ADOPTING IN KINSHIP?

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FOSTERING
The goal of foster care is to provide a safe, temporary home for children who cannot live with their birth parents, either until they are reunited with them or until legal permanent custody is established. Permanency in foster care means that children are placed in a stable, long-term environment without the need for continued involvement from child protective services. This can involve returning to their birth parents, or a kinship caregiver obtaining legal custody through Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC).

While children are placed in a foster home, kinship caregivers receive case management services and are reimbursed monthly for the care of the children, with the reimbursement amount based on the child’s level of care. This support continues until permanency is achieved.

ADOPTING
The purpose of adoption is to provide a permanent, lifelong home for a child when their birth parents are unable to care for them. Adoption requires the termination of parental rights for both birth parents, ensuring the child becomes legally part of the adoptive family. If you are pursuing adoption through Arrow and parental rights have already been terminated, you can opt for our Kinship Straight Adoption program.

This option allows you to finalize the adoption after completing a home study, without the need for foster placement. As a result, your home will not need to meet foster care requirements, reducing paperwork and training. Your FHD (Family Home Developer) will clarify the specific requirements for fostering versus adoption.

CONTACT US

We know you may have questions, and we’re here to help!