Developing consistent and transparent kinship care policy and practice: State mandated, mediated, and independent care

Abstract

a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f oTo date, the large majority of the research literature on kinship care in the United States has focused on the similarities and differences between children and caregivers in "public" or "formal" vs. "private" or "informal" care. Our understanding of children's living arrangements in the homes of their relatives, however, is becoming more nuanced and complex. The stark differences between public and private care are increasingly mediated by hybrid kinship models that may be government facilitated, but are not considered fully public in nature. This paper lays out a framework for understanding the multiple custodial options available to non-indigenous children in the United States who need alternative care from a related adult. We introduce a taxonomy in which care arrangements are characterized as state mandated, state mediated, or state independent. The variability in custodial arrangements raises questions about the routes by which children arrive to care, and the sorting process that shuttles children into arrangements that may offer more or fewer services and supports. Policies that promote consistency within care types are recommended. Practices that make more transparent access across models and a research agenda to fill gaps in knowledge are discussed.

Economics of Child Protection: Maltreatment, Foster Care, and Intimate Partner Violence

“…The decision to place a child in foster care involves a trade-off between two goods: child protection and family preservation. A current policy concern receiving considerable attention is the potential benefit of diversion, where children at risk of foster care placement remain at home, often with family preservation services, although not always (Berrick & Hernandez 2016). Experiments with such interventions are just beginning to be contemplated and offer an opportunity for researchers.…”

Kinship Probate Guardianship: An Important Permanency Option for Children

“…The authors have proposed a framework in which care arrangements for non-indigenous children are classified according to the level of government involvement (see (Berrick & Hernandez, 2016). Under this framework, kinship care is articulated more clearly beyond the public/private dichotomy and is instead classified as state mandated, state mediated, or state independent (see Table 1).…”

A Four-Nation Comparison of Kinship Care in the UK: The Relationship between Formal Kinship Care and Deprivation

“…There has been criticism too that it is not always regarded by child welfare professionals as a serious alternative to formal placements (Corbin, 2015). Research in Denmark and the US found that kinship carers are more likely to live in poverty than NRFCs and receive, on average, less financial support from government reinforcing economic disadvantage (Andersen and Fallesen, 2015; Berrick and Hernandez, 2016). NRFCs are twice as likely as kinship carers to obtain financial assistance, and four times more likely to receive respite or peer-support services (Sakai et al ., 2011).…”

“…The cost differential between kinship care and NRFC makes it a desirable option for the state when funding is tight. Placement start-up costs are lower, there are no recruitment costs, less training is required and typically less support is offered once a placement is established (Berrick and Hernandez, 2016). Kinship care clearly can be ‘financially attractive for cash-strapped local authorities’ (McGhee et al ., 2017: 17).…”