The financial, legal, and emotional issues of raising a relative’s child can be challenging. Services and support when raising a relative’s child can be a lifesaver. Kinship caregiving in all of its forms is becoming increasingly common. Recent WA State child welfare data (Partners for Our Children-1/1/2015) show that 41 percent of children in out of home care are living with a relative. Many more children are living with relatives or other close family friends informally, without the ongoing supervision of the state’s foster care system.

Often kinship caregivers do not access the benefits which are available to them. This class will address the issues that Kinship Caregivers struggle with most:
Financial needs
Legal challenges
Navigating public service systems
Needing more social services
Information about resources/caregiving

This 2.5 hour in-service class is designed for licensed and unlicensed caregivers caring for children currently or previously involved in the dependency system. Caregiver Core Training (CCT) is not a prerequisite. However, this course is supplemental to CCT for kinship caregivers, and can be a field experience during CCT.