Kinship Care is designed to meet the needs of young people who would benefit from placement with a relative or fictive kin (such as a close family friend).
- Kinship Care Home Approval is geared toward supporting relative and fictive kin caregivers needing therapeutic training and support in meeting the needs of youth placed in their home through DePaul.
- Kinship Care Support Services are provided to LDSS approved kinship caregivers as well as informal Kinship Caregivers requiring extra support in managing the needs of the family as well as the needs of placed youth. The goal of the service is to promote placement stability and prevent placement disruptions.
- Search and Engagement Services are provided to youth in LDSS custody to support them in building or expanding their natural supports while in foster care and/or to explore potential placement options with relative and fictive kin.
Why Kinship?
A report from Generations United states that children living with kinship families experience:
- increased stability
- higher levels of permanency and greater safety
- better behavioral and mental health outcomes
- increased likelihood of living with or staying connected to siblings
- preservation of their cultural identity and community connections