Webinar
Many fatherhood program participants balance complicated situations and relationships. They may live with some, but not all, of their biological children; they may be an adoptive parent or step-parent; and they may have children who live in several different households. In all of these situations, children are likely to fare better if their biological parents and other caregivers are able to work effectively as a co-parenting team (McHale, J. & Lindahl, K., 2011.)
This webinar will provide an overview of strategies that can help fathers overcome obstacles and work with their co…
Brief
The purpose of this brief is to draw attention to the issue of post-permanency with its focus on the family, and move attention away from re-entry, which focuses on the system. Addressing the gaps in post-permanency practices will strengthen families and prevent children from re-entering care. There are many ways to support families after exiting foster care, including establishing clear funding streams for the most effective post-permanency supports, standardizing data elements to examine who does and does not re-enter care, and conducting rigorous research to identify what has helped…
In this second edition of the annual State of Grandfamilies in America report, Generations United identified key State laws and policies specifically designed to address barriers and better support the diverse and unique population of grandparents and other relatives raising children. All 50 States and the District of Columbia were evaluated based on the availability of these laws and policies. To identify States with the most promising laws and policies to support grandfamilies, Generations United used the following criteria: percentage of children in foster care who are placed with…
With the rise in heroin and other opioid use, more relatives are raising children because the parents have died, are incarcerated, are using drugs, are in treatment or are otherwise unable to care for their children, according to the report. After years of decline, the numbers of children in foster care are increasing. Experts say the opioid epidemic is responsible for this trend. Alcohol and drug use are the most common reasons for removing children from their homes, next to neglect. More than 1/3 of all children placed in foster care because of parental alcohol or drug use are placed…
Through this issue brief, young people who are in, or have been in, foster care offer their insights and aspirations to help guide the actions of child welfare systems as they seek to provide more normal experiences for these youth. The brief begins by explaining new provisions in the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act that promote normalcy, including the requirement for States to implement a “reasonable and prudent parent” standard that allows caregivers to make more daily decisions for young people in their care; a mandate that child welfare systems engage all young…
Other, Book
This guide explores a range of opportunities and challenges faced by kinship caregivers in Oregon. It starts with common issues faced by family members caring for relative children and moves on to provide resources for those families. The guide begins with information on the number of children living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives and the challenges kinship caregivers face. A checklist is then provided of important things caregivers should do right away when they begin to care for children. Following sections review information on meeting the emotional and behavioral…
Report, Other
This guide is designed to enhance the knowledge of evidence-informed and promising practices that address the needs of expectant and parenting youth in foster care and their children, and to provide a comprehensive set of resources for jurisdictions interested in achieving safety, permanency, and well-being for these young families. Information is drawn from a review of an expanded list of existing clearinghouses on evidence-informed programs, an internet search of programs, and phone interviews with programs to secure updated evaluation data. The resource guide is organized into three major…
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Journal Article Grandparents or other relatives are raising over 2.7 million children in the United States; and research suggests that the birth parents of these children maintain varying levels of involvement with them and their relative caregivers. However, the impact of parental involvement on children's developmental outcomes remains largely unexplored. This study sought to understand the role of maternal and paternal involvement (each parent's contact with the caregiver, contact with the child, friendliness to the caregiver, and quality of relationship with the child) on competence levels of African…
Brief
This issue brief is on the challenges that informal kinship care families face in the state of Nebraska and the identification of potential areas in which family support can be increased. It begins by defining kinship care and discussing the challenges of providing kinship care. Statistics on grandparent-headed households in Nebraska are share and indicate: median family income is approximately 28% lower among kinship families ($42,708) than all families ($58,926); nearly 70% have had full-time care of their children for at least 1 year; 32% have had full-time care of their children for 5 or…
This fact sheet discusses the characteristics of grandparent caregivers in the United States and then presents information the number and characteristics of grandparent caregivers in South Dakota. Findings indicate: there were 7 million grandparents in the United States living with their grandchildren, and 2.7 million (39%) were responsible for caring for their grandchildren; there were 11,217 South Dakota grandparents living with their grandchildren, and 5,311 (47%) were responsible for caring for their grandchildren; of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren in South Dakota, 66%…
