Strengths and Stressors in a Population of Kinship Caregivers: Implications for Caseload Management and Administration

Abstract

This article presents the results from 77 interviews with kinship caregivers participating in the child-only component of the TANF program. The authors interviewed caregivers using the Strengths and Stressors Tracking device (SSTd). Key findings include: most caregivers and their families possess significant strengths that can be used in a strengths-based approach to case management; environmental stress-an acknowledged ecological correlate with potential for abuse and neglect-is an area of strength; and permanency planning and long-term stability of the kinship care situation should be a major focus of social services and case managers. This research offers a valuable contribution to child welfare and kinship care literature because it provides evidence-based research to demonstrate the significant strengths in a caregiving population.

Validation of a Tool to Assess and Track Undergraduate Attitudes Toward Those Living in Poverty

“…It was at this point that the authors began developing additional questions that they felt would address the areas of social empathy and commitment to aiding those living in poverty; areas not addressed by Atherton et al Over time 21 new questions were developed that drew upon a review of the literature (Coryn, 2002;Cozzarelli et al, 2001;Mehrabian & Epstein, l972), the authors' own experiences in working with the poor and in conducting research with impoverished populations (Blair, 2010;Blair, Taylor, & Rivera, 2009) and feedback from students in classes taught by the authors. The new questions developed for use in the UPPTS build upon the concepts of a lack of social empathy (Segal, 2007) and cognitive distancing (Lott, 2002) as principal reasons why people fail to do more to help the poor via either direct action or support for programs that will aid the poor.…”

“…Review of the survey items by content experts: The authors have extensive experience in both direct practice and in conducting research with impoverished populations (Blair et al, 2009). Pilot testing: a draft of the UPPTS was given to 20 undergraduate students who were enrolled in an undergraduate course being taught by one of the authors.…”

“…Others, such as Rubio, Berg-Weger, Tebb, Lee, and Rauch (2003) discuss the steps needed to validate a new social science measure. Using these methods, and drawing primarily on Hair et al, the authors undertook the following steps to demonstrate the content, criterion, and construct validity of the UPPTS: Review of the survey items by content experts: The authors have extensive experience in both direct practice and in conducting research with impoverished populations (Blair et al, 2009). Pilot testing: a draft of the UPPTS was given to 20 undergraduate students who were enrolled in an undergraduate course being taught by one of the authors.…”

A Systematic Review on Foster Parents’ Psychological Adjustment and Parenting Style—An Evaluation of Foster Parents and Foster Children Variables

“…Kinship caregivers are generally grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins who take over the role of foster parents for the offspring of immediate or extended family members [26]. Differently from non-relative foster care, kinship care allows the preservation of the child's blood ties, thus providing children with a more stable family context [27]; this, on the other hand, implies that kin carers need to contain and minimize the contact and negative influence of abusive birth parents upon the child to a greater extent compared to non-relative foster parents [28]. Moreover, from an institutional point of view, they are less closely monitored and regulated by state child-welfare departments than non-relative foster parents; this reflects in a heightened need of standards, guidelines and proper training [28] to help them deal with all the difficulties and issues of foster children, which nonetheless are scarcely provided by the welfare system [29,30].…”

Exploring Relational and Parental Factors for Permanency Outcomes of Children in Care

“…In a study of kinship caregivers that assessed strengths using the Strengths and Stressors Detection device (Berry, Cash, & Mathieson, 2003), most families in their random sample of kinship care providers showed strengths in the important domains of environment, social support, caregiver traits, and child well-being. In addition, that measure picked up on some of the same indicators this study showed were important to stability of placements such as few marital problems, a stable marital relationship, mutual support, and appropriate expectations for child behavior (Blair, Taylor, & Rivera, 2009).…”