Examining the Lives and Needs of Child-Only Recipient Kinship Caregivers: Heroes Stepping Up to Help Children

Blair, Kevin D.; Taylor, David B.

doi:10.1300/j039v10n01_01

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Social capital has not previously been investigated in kinship carers, who are reported to be more isolated and less formally supported than other types of foster carers (Ehrle & Geen, 2002; Selwyn et al, 2013). Consistent with previous literature (Berrick et al, 1994; Blair & Taylor, 2006; Selwyn et al, 2013), kinship families described being connected more with relatives than informal or formal supports. Despite this reliance on informal interpersonal relationships, the quality of these relationships was found to be overwhelmingly negative, reflecting extant literature (Boetto, 2010; Selwyn et al, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Moreover, when carers do receive support from formal services, perceptions of said services have been far from satisfactory (Selwyn et al, 2013). Studies exploring kinship carers' support systems indicated that families were “just getting by” (p.14, Blair & Taylor, 2006) with limited help from statutory services (Blair & Taylor, 2006; Selwyn et al, 2013). Carers may feel wary of contacting social services for support in case they are deemed unsuitable carers, or if struggling with depressive symptoms may lack the drive to seek help (Selwyn et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Socioeconomic deprivation and social capital in kinship carers using a helpline service

Taylor

Folco

Dupin

et al. 2020

Child & Family Social Work

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Kinship care is the preferred alternative for children who cannot remain with their birth family, maintaining birth family links and continuity in other parts of their life. However, kinship care has also been associated with risk factors including lack of support, difficult contact with biological parents, adverse childhood experiences for the child, carer stress and financial difficulties. Using routine data from a kinship care helpline service, this study employed a mixed-method analysis of the association between socioeconomic deprivation and risk factors reported by kinship carers and explored social capital in kinship families. Findings indicated common risk factors experienced by kinship families regardless of deprivation level. However, certain risk factors were reported more in areas of high or low socioeconomic deprivation. Mapping the social capital of kinship families indicated that kinship families connect more with relatives than other types of informal, semi-formal or formal support services. However, these relationships are often problematic. The most prominent obstacle to social capital growth in kinship carers was financial difficulties. Our findings suggest that kinship carers may use support services differentially according to deprivation level, and socioeconomic deprivation may influence building social capital in kinship families.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socioeconomic deprivation and social capital in kinship carers using a helpline service

Taylor

Folco

Dupin

et al. 2020

Child & Family Social Work

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show abstract

“…In spite of the benefits kin may confer on their relative children, the care is often extremely taxing for caregivers. Ample evidence suggests that kinship caregiving is stressful (Blair & Taylor, 2006), and that it poses additional and sometimes striking financial burdens (Bent-Goodley & Brade, 2007;Cox, 2007;Gibbs, Kasten, Bir, Duncan, & Hoover, 2006). Caregivers who find themselves sorted into one categorical program over another have considerably greater access to services and supports; yet the sorting mechanisms that compel caregivers into each of the caregiving arrangements described previously are not clear.…”

Section: Practice Transparency For Kinmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Berrick

Hernandez

2016

Children and Youth Services Review

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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.

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“…Evidence from the U.K. suggests that the paucity of services available to kinship foster parents may contribute to feelings of stress in caring for children (Farmer, 2009); other studies point to the significant burden grandparents may experience in caring for their relative children (Dolbin-MacNab, 2006;Minkler, Roe, & Price, 1992;Smith-Ruiz, 2009), especially those caring for foster children with access to a child-only subsidy (Blair & Taylor, 2008). Studies have yet to examine the extent to which service receipt is influenced by factors unrelated to the offerings of child welfare workers (e.g., access to services, knowledge about services, culturally responsive offers and outreach, the perceived affordability of services).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Financial well-being in family-based foster care: Exploring variation in income supports for kin and non-kin caregivers in California

Berrick

Boyd

2016

Children and Youth Services Review

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Kinship foster parents have the same responsibilities as nonrelative foster parents and are held to the same standards of rehabilitative care. Nonetheless, their rights to financial supports and their access to other services vary across states depending on the federal eligibility of the child, and/or the licensing criteria caregivers may or may not meet. We know little about the financial supports, well-being, or services of kinship caregivers receiving differential payment schemes and whether or not these financial supports and services make any difference. More fundamentally, in states that operate two-or more -tiered funding schemes for kinship foster parents, we currently cannot even estimate what proportion of kin caregivers receive more, less, or nothing from the government, even though all are entitled to something. Kin and non-kin caregivers in two California counties responded to a written survey focused on the financial wellbeing and income supports available to families. Sources of support were associated with the availability and utilization of other child welfare services for caregivers and for children.

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Examining the Lives and Needs of Child-Only Recipient Kinship Caregivers: Heroes Stepping Up to Help Children

Cited by 13 publications

References 4 publications

Socioeconomic deprivation and social capital in kinship carers using a helpline service

Socioeconomic deprivation and social capital in kinship carers using a helpline service

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

Financial well-being in family-based foster care: Exploring variation in income supports for kin and non-kin caregivers in California

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