Sometimes, the best place for a child is not with their biological parent(s). In that case, the best place is with a grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, or close family friend. We call such a situation kinship care.
Kinship care means placing a child who has entered foster care with a relative or someone with an existing meaningful connection to the family, rather than with an unfamiliar foster family. For children facing the upheaval of separation from their parents, kinship care offers something invaluable: continuity. They stay connected to their culture, community, siblings, and sense of identity. Studies consistently show that children in kinship placements tend to experience greater stability, fewer school disruptions, and reduced trauma compared to those placed with non-relative foster families.
Saint Francis Ministries has long recognized that keeping children rooted in family relationships, whenever safely possible, is central to healing and long-term well-being. Through recruitment, training, and ongoing support for kinship caregivers, we help relatives step into these roles with confidence, even when the transition is unexpected or sudden. Kinship caregivers often take on this responsibility with little notice and limited resources, and organizations like Saint Francis Ministries provide the financial support, coaching, and community that make it sustainable.
September is National Kinship Care Month, and we invite you to consider how you might support kinship families in your community through mentorship, resources, or simply showing up. Every child deserves to grow up surrounded by love and familiarity, and kinship care makes that possible for so many.
It takes all of us, and if we can’t provide foster and kinship care ourselves, we can certainly support those who do. Together, we can keep children in our communities healthy, safe, and loved.
