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Kinship care generally falls into two categories based on how the child welfare or court system is involved:

• Informal kinship care: This is a private arrangement made directly between the birth parents and a relative. The child welfare system is not involved, and the parent retains legal custody.
• Formal kinship care: This happens when a local child welfare agency is involved. The court places the child with a relative, and the agency typically holds legal custody while working toward a permanent solution (like returning home). Caregivers are trained, licensed, and receive supportive services.

Children in care have already experienced the trauma of being separated from their parents. Placing them with strangers can compound this trauma. Kinship care keeps children connected to their family history, regular school routines, brothers and sisters, and cultural roots.

Data from our work at ASCI speaks for itself: 70% of children placed in our kinship care program successfully achieve reunification with their birth parents within the first year. Additionally, 98% of our youth graduate high school, compared to the national foster care average of just 50%.

If you are a formal kinship caregiver, you have explicit rights designed to help you care for the child:

• The right to notice and participation: You have the right to be notified of, attend, and speak at all court hearings regarding the child in your care.
• The right to information: You have the right to receive necessary medical, educational, and background information about the child to ensure you can meet their needs.
• The right to financial and medical support: If you are operating as a kinship foster parent, you have the right to apply for financial assistance and Medicaid coverage for the child.

• In formal kinship care: Yes. Because the child is placed through the child welfare agency, ASCI and your caseworker will provide the necessary placement paperwork to enroll the child in their local school district immediately.
• In informal kinship care: It can be more complicated because you do not have court-ordered legal custody. However, many states have “Educational Consent Affidavits” or “Caregiver Authorization Affidavits” that allow relatives to enroll children in school and consent to school-related medical care without needing a formal custody order. Our Kinship Navigator team can help you identify and complete the right forms for your situation.

No. Unless a judge explicitly terminates parental rights, birth parents retain what are known as “residual rights.” These include:

• The right to visit and maintain a relationship with their child.
• The right to consent to major life changes, such as adoption, marriage, or a legal name change.
• The right to work with the agency on a service plan to safely bring their child back home.

At ASCI, we view kinship care as a supportive bridge, not a permanent separation. Caregivers are encouraged to support the ultimate goal of reunification whenever it is safe and possible.

It depends on what the permanency plan is. But in the case of adoption or legal guardian the most asked is “when my case will be solved?” My answer is “I wish I have better information, but everything is in the judge’s hand” 

Family dynamics can become complex when roles shift. When a birth parent disagrees with a kinship caregiver, it is important to remember that the caseworker is there to serve as a supportive mediator. ASCI helps families establish healthy boundaries, co-parenting agreements, and clear communication feedback loops to ensure the child feels safe and caught in the middle of love, not conflict.

Depending on your location and whether your placement is formal or informal, several options exist:

• For the child: If the child already receives Social Security Survivors Benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) due to a disability, these benefits do not disappear. The kinship caregiver can apply to become the child’s “Representative Payee” through the Social Security Administration (SSA) so the funds can be used for the child’s daily care.
• For the caregiver: Receiving kinship foster care payments or a child-only TANF grant generally does not impact a caregiver’s own Social Security Retirement, SSDI, or SSI benefits, as these funds are designated strictly for the child’s needs.

• For the child: If the child already receives Social Security Survivors Benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) due to a disability, these benefits do not disappear. The kinship caregiver can apply to become the child’s “Representative Payee” through the Social Security Administration (SSA) so the funds can be used for the child’s daily care.
• For the caregiver: Receiving kinship foster care payments or a child-only TANF grant generally does not impact a caregiver’s own Social Security Retirement, SSDI, or SSI benefits, as these funds are designated strictly for the child’s needs.

If a child welfare agency has placed a relative with you, your next step is working toward certification. This process ensures the home is safe and unlocks maximum financial resources.

• Step 1: Home safety study: A caseworker will visit your home to review physical safety (working smoke detectors, secure sleeping spaces) and ensure it meets basic care requirements.
• Step 2: Background clearances: You and any other adults living in the home must complete criminal background checks and child abuse clearances to guarantee the child’s safety.
• Step 3: Trauma-informed training: Caregivers take specialized training hours to learn how to support children navigating the emotional challenges and disruptions of family separation.
• Step 4: Final approval and licensing: Once clearances, the home study, and training are complete, you become a fully certified kinship foster parent, securing long-term stability and funding for the child.

This is one of the most common questions we hear. The answer is simple but requires gentle care: Be honest, keep it age-appropriate, and never blame the parents. Explain that their parents love them very much but need some time to make things safe and healthy at home, and that your job is to keep them safe, loved, and connected in the meantime.