Kinship care-Grandparent Help

News about kinship care in Congress and resources for grandparents raising grandchildren. Especially helpful if raising grandchildren is new to you.

This information is from the Child Welfare League of America:

The Kinship Caregiver Support Act (S. 985), and the Guardian Assistance Promotion and Kinship Support Act (H.R. 3380) are getting attention in Washington this summer. Child Welfare League, AARP, Children's Defense Fund, Generations United, National Hispanic Council on Aging, and other organizations have partnered to encourage Congress to pass Kinship legislation. It will provide additional support for relatives who make safe, caring homes for children not able to live with their parents.

Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Thad Cochran (R-MS), and Tim Johnson (D-SD) sponsored the Kinship Caregiver Support Act (S. 985) in the Senate, and Representative Danny Davis (D-IL)introduced H.R. 3380, the Guardian Assistance Promotion and Kinship Support Act, in the House.

Both bills allow states to use federal Title IV-E foster care funds to provide subsidized guardianship assistance payments to relatives so children they care for will not have to remain in foster care. H.R 3380 would extend support to non-relatives serving as guardians.

These bills give support to states and large metropolitan areas to establish kinship navigator programs to help grandparents and other relatives find information, referral services and other support to meet children's needs. Grants would build community-based partnerships between public, private nonprofit, and faith-based agencies.

The legislation requires states to notify relatives when children enter foster care. Notice must be provided to grandparents and other adult relatives, except in cases of domestic violence. More information is available at the CWLA Web site.

A network for caregivers produced by Michigan State University. The information is from last year, and specific to Michigan, but there are some excellent downloadable publications on the site that may be of interest.

A report to congress on kinship care issues in 2000.

Fact sheets on kinship care state by state.

Legal Advice Forum. I have never used it. I don't endorse it by any means, but you may find it interesting.