Foster care doesn’t always mean placing a child with strangers. New home, new rules, new everything that’s the common image.
But there’s another kind of foster care that keeps kids close to their roots: kinship care. It’s more common and more powerful than many realize.
According to the latest data from the Children’s Bureau, over 33% of children in foster care in the U.S. are placed with relatives or close family friends. That’s not by chance. It’s a conscious effort to provide stability, continuity, and connection.
So, what exactly is kinship care? Why is it so important? And how does it support the mission of The Village Foster Closet?
Let’s break it down.
So, What Is Kinship Care?
Kinship care means a child is placed with someone they already know. This could be a grandparent, aunt, cousin, godparent, or even a close family friend, basically, someone with a pre-existing relationship.
That’s a big deal.
Because when your world is turned upside down, being with someone familiar, even if it’s not perfect, can be the anchor you need to feel safe.
How It’s Different From “Standard” Foster Care
In many ways, kinship caregivers are foster families. But the system doesn’t always treat them that way. Often, they don’t get the same training. Or the same financial support. Or the same access to resources.
And yet they’re doing the exact same work: caring for children in foster care, navigating court dates, handling trauma, and showing up every single day.
The foster family village includes these relatives, these quiet heroes, who step up with little notice and even less preparation. They don’t do it for money. They do it because family matters.
But make no mistake: kinship care isn’t the “easy” option. It comes with its own set of challenges.
What Kinship Caregivers Face
Let’s talk about it, the things kinship caregivers aren’t told when they say yes.
- Financial strain. Many are on fixed incomes. Think grandparents raising grandkids with no extra support. They’re making it work, but barely.
- Legal gray zones. Some kin caregivers don’t even realize they need legal guardianship or formal placement orders until they’re knee-deep in school registration or insurance issues.
- Emotional whiplash. It’s not easy to parent a child while navigating strained family dynamics. These caregivers often feel torn between loyalty to the child and love for the child’s birth parents.
And let’s be real: most didn’t plan for this. They just stepped up. And they need help.
Why Kinship Care Works (Even When It’s Hard)
Despite the hurdles, kinship care works. Study after study shows that children placed with relatives:
- Experience fewer behavioral issues
- Have better mental health outcomes
- Are less likely to re-enter foster care
- Feel more secure and connected
That’s why The Village Foster Closet supports kinship families just as much as traditional foster families. Because at the end of the day, kids do better when they’re loved by people who already know their name. Their story. Their favorite snack. Their bedtime routine.
That kind of familiarity is powerful. Healing, even.
What Kinship Caregivers Really Need
If you’re a kin caregiver or thinking about becoming one, here’s the truth. You need resources. You need training. And you need community.
- Resources: Diapers, clothing, food, car seats, formula, the basics add up fast. That’s where organizations like The Foster Family Village step in. Our foster closet offers free essentials for families who need to act fast and don’t have time (or funds) to wait.
- Training: Trauma-informed care shouldn’t just be for licensed foster families. Kin caregivers need it too. Understanding attachment, behavior, and child development is key, even if you’ve raised kids before.
- Support: You need people in your corner. People who don’t judge. People who’ve been there. Whether it’s a Facebook group or a coffee date with another kinship caregiver, lean into your village.
Because this path? It’s not one you should walk alone.
FAQS
1. What is kinship care and how is it different from traditional foster care?
Kinship care places children with relatives or close family friends, helping them stay connected to their community, culture, and school. Unlike traditional foster care, it emphasizes maintaining continuity and familiar bonds.
2. Who is eligible to use The Village Foster Closet?
Any licensed resource (foster) parent in Monmouth or Ocean County, NJ, can schedule a shopping appointment at no cost. The Village serves children in foster care across the state.
3. What items does The Village Foster Closet provide?
They stock essentials like clothing, shoes, toys, hygiene products, and baby gear offered in a store-like environment to give children dignity and choice.
4. How does kinship care support The Village’s mission?
By preserving family connections and cultural continuity, kinship care aligns with The Village’s mission to provide stability and support to foster children keeping them rooted and respected.
5. How can caregivers access support beyond material items?
The Village also offers community-building events and peer support, helping foster and kinship families connect and find mutual encouragement.
Final Thought: Kinship Care Deserves the Spotlight
Foster care is changing. And that’s a good thing. We’re starting to recognize that children don’t just need a home, they need the right home. One filled with familiarity, love, and support. Kinship care provides that. It keeps kids connected to their culture, their language, their story.
And when supported well, kinship families don’t just fill in the gaps, they rewrite the narrative. At The Village Foster Closet, we’re proud to walk alongside them. To equip, encourage, and celebrate every grandparent, cousin, or family friend who said “yes” when it mattered most.
