Kinship Care Assessment: Licensure and Approval
In order to maximize the possibility of a positive kinship placement, a thorough assessment shall be conducted to evaluate the suitability of the placement.
 It is critical that the agency develop and nurture staff sensitivity to the unique issues that are present when relatives and other kin are assessed for their suitability to parent children.
Assessment should be based on an understanding of the kinship family’s culture and community, child rearing approaches, and family dynamics, and should focus on the ability of the family to meet the immediate and ongoing needs of the child. Any relative or other kinship caregiver should be licensed as a foster parent if they want to be licensed and meet licensing requirements.
In addition to completing the initial and comprehensive assessment, agency staff shall maintain sufficient contact with the kinship care provider and the child to assure that the basic physical and emotional needs of the child are being met and that the care provider is receiving adequate informal and formal support to meet those needs. Whether or not the home is licensed as a foster home, social workers shall have face-to-face contact with the kinship caregiver at least once within the first week of placement and at least monthly thereafter.
Supportive Services Available
 If the agency has custody or CPS involvement with the child and has sanctioned placement with a non-licensed relative, services should be provided to assure that the kin caregiver has the best chance of meeting the child’s needs for physical and emotional security. Whether or not the agency has custody, kinship caregivers may need agency supportive services. Some services that are frequently requested by caregivers are:
- Kinship Care Support Group open to all kinship caregivers regardless of age and status in child welfare system;
- Legal assistance in obtaining permission to enroll the child in school, to obtain medical attention or to obtain legal custody or guardianship;
- Assistance negotiating the social services system to get approved for food stamps, Work First grants, Medicaid or state supported insurance coverage for the child, child support, or day care services; and
- Information and referral services to connect with informal and formal service providers in the local community.
Utilizing the Family’s Own Resources
Often agencies emphasize the importance of publicly supported helping systems (e.g. mental health, schools, social services, juvenile justice) over that of informal systems such as the extended family, kin, the spiritual community and other community resources. By doing so, they frequently overburden the formal systems while missing an opportunity to involve people who can better address many family needs. Social workers should use the resources of the formal child welfare system to strengthen and support rather than replace the informal system.
Whether licensed as a foster home or not, kinship care providers should be valued and treated as partners with the birth family and the agency. This includes notifying relatives providing care for a child of any court review or hearing to be held about the child and of their opportunity to be heard in court.
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