Keeping Familes Together

When children cannot be cared for safely by their parents, we look to other family members or people who are familiar to the child to provide a safe, nurturing home for as long as that child requires it. We call this Kinship Service.

There are two ways that a child can be placed in your home under Kinship Service;

1. Voluntary Service Agreement

The child's parent signs an agreement with Family and Children's Services placing the child with a kin service caregiver for a specific period of time. The child's parent, the kin service caregiver and the workers involved will sit down and talk about what everyone is responsible for. The child's parent has the right to make decisions about school and medical care.

2. Supervision Order

The Court may make an order to place the child with a kin service caregiver for a period of 4-12 months. The Court will give the child's parent some things to work on during this time. Plans for visiting between the child and the parent will be ordered by the Court.

If the child is in foster care , and it is determined that remaining in foster care best meets the child’s needs, a kin caregiver would need to qualify as a foster parent in order to have the child placed in their home. This would involve some training and an assessment.