May 2019 Foster Care Special Edition
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ENVISION EQUITY MAY <strong>2019</strong><br />
relatives. Relatives and fictive kin are often used as a means of diverting, or keeping kids<br />
from entering, the foster care system.<br />
These fictive kin and kinship caregivers play similar roles to that of foster parents—<br />
stepping up to raise children who are unable to be safely raised by their parents, often<br />
times on very short notice. Research tells us that those kinship care and fictive kin care<br />
providers that step up to raise children are helping to ensure; less trauma at separation,<br />
less behavioral issues in the home, and less disruption to their education. Those<br />
relationships can help to create a more stable placement for children, and increased<br />
opportunities to ensure connectivity to culture, family traditions, and connections to<br />
siblings.<br />
During the <strong>2019</strong> legislative session, the General Assembly passed House Bill 2 which<br />
creates provisions that help to better support relative and fictive kin caregivers. House Bill<br />
2 will establish the development of supportive services for kinship and fictive kin<br />
caregivers, including, but not limited to, monetary and respite supports. It would also<br />
establish a reporting mechanism to track and analyze data on relative and fictive kin<br />
caregiver placements.<br />
While the details of the implementation of the bill are still being worked out, we anticipate<br />
more relative caregivers will become foster parents, which will create better access to<br />
needed supports like subsidies, child care, respite care, and behavioral health services.<br />
The Cabinet for Health and Family Services has developed a website with additional<br />
information for relative and fictive kin caregivers to get information. Research also says<br />
that kinship caregivers can benefit from participating in support groups, as well.<br />
Information about support groups for kinship caregivers across Kentucky can be found<br />
here.<br />
Kentucky <strong>Foster</strong> Adoptive <strong>Care</strong>giver Exchange System, with information for supports for<br />
kinship and fictive kin caregivers can be found here.<br />
Additional information about kinship caregivers in Kentucky is below.<br />
https://kinshipky.org/wp-content/uploads/<strong>2019</strong>/03/Kinship-<strong>Care</strong>-in-KY-<strong>2019</strong>_imagefile_2.jpg<br />
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