Kinship Caregiving: The Original Family Preservation

Have you recently become or are you considering becoming a kinship caregiver?  Kinship caregivers could be family members or friends of a child.  What makes them “kin” is that they usually have an established relationship with the parent or child but are not the child’s biological parents.  Many are grandparents or great-grandparents or other relatives of a child.

Kinship carers are very important to all of us as they step in to love, care and provide for a child who would otherwise go to foster care.  Kinship caregivers are the unsung heroes of family preservation.  I say unsung because they do not get the financial support they deserve.

They also struggle deeply with bureaucracy such as custody, child support, government benefits, and childcare. On top of providing basic needs, sometimes a kinship carer's immediate family does not provide the emotional and practical support that was hoped for.  Many are faced with tough decisions such as removing custody from their own child.

If you or someone you know have recently become a kinship carer, I wanted to share an excellent resource.  Last night, I attended Attorney Robin Bovian’s custody seminar.  This was the second time I have heard her speak.  I was super impressed with her level of knowledge in so many areas of law that intersect with each other.   She stayed past the usual time-frame to give free legal advice to the attendees.

As someone who works in law and adopted a relative as a kinship caregiver, I know what a gem she is, disseminating information to a population who may not be able to afford private legal advice.  If you are a low-income kinship family, a new kinship carer, or just in need of a listening ear, reach out to Southeastern Legal Services.

I thank Angela Provenzano and Ohio State University for providing such timely support to kinship families in Ohio. It has truly been a lifeline during the pandemic.   I am so pleased and grateful for Angela’s mission and vision and most especially, her personal experience as a kinship carer. 

To learn more, visit the website or better yet, join us for the bi-weekly support group.