A Discussion on Mentoring and Financial Wellness for Youth Aging Out of the System
Mentorship can play a critical role in preparing transition-age youth for adulthood. According to the University of Chicago’s Chapin Center, by age 26, 36% of young people who ‘aged out’ of foster…
Sharing Our Year in Review: A Strong Year of Kinship as a Culture of Learning
Through over 30 years of knowledge building for an effective kin-first culture, we know that kinship care work must include the kinship triad (the child, birth parent, and caregiver). In reflecting over…
Ways to Celebrate the New Year with Family and Friends
2023 is right around the corner! With so many things that have happened in 2022, next year will surely be a time of fruitfulness for kinship families all over the…
Protecting ICWA Protects Kinship: SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments in Brackeen v. Haaland
Kinship stretches far beyond blood relation. This same belief is shared by American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribal communities, and why the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA) is…
30 Years of Knowledge Building for an Effective Kin-First Culture: A Natural Family Resource for Children in and out of the Child Welfare System
Sharon McDaniel, Ph.D., EdD, MPA President and CEO, A Second Chance, Inc. I am an alumnus of what is now known as kinship care. Today we prefer to call this “lived…
National Youth Justice Action Month: Q&A with Shielah DeBlanc
President, Joseph R. Biden Jr. proclaimed October National Youth Justice Action Month (NYJAM). During National Youth Justice Action Month, I call upon States and communities to join me in seeking…
National Baby Safety Month: Recommendations for Kinship Caregivers on Baby Safety Kelly Starver, Ph.D. Nursing
The month of September recognizes baby safety and kinship care as national designations. For many kinship caregivers, having a baby in the house or caring for a baby may be a completely new experience. …
Suffering in Silence: Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis Further Exposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic | Q&A with Dr. Jacqueline Wilson
Dr. Jacqueline Wilson CEO, TRAC Services for Families Less than 25%. While mental health issues do not discriminate based on race, color, gender, or identity, the understanding of mental health…
Educating Ourselves to Educate Our Children on the Importance of Juneteenth
A Message on Juneteenth from Dr. Sharon L. McDaniel The symbolism of the federal Juneteenth holiday is strong. It calls out the profound contribution of enslaved Black Americans and their…