Kinship care is the most desirable out-of-home option for children who cannot live with
their parents. Kinship care preserves families, provides children with greater stability,
creates a sense of belonging, and enhances a child’s ability to identify with and maintain
their family’s culture and traditions. “Kin” can be blood relatives, or can be a
non-relative who has a bond with the child and/or family. Kinship relationships are
established through informal arrangements, legal custody, guardianship, and kinship
adoption.
Kinship Caregivers:
• Meet the basic day-to-day needs of the children and work with the family’s
social worker during the time that the family’s case is open for services.
• Are notified of and attend meetings related to the child(ren).
• Receive monthly visits from the child’s case worker while the case is open.
• Enjoy the rewards that come from helping youth maintain family connections
and a healthy perspective on life.
• Receive all pertinent information about the child(ren), and updates as we
receive them.

Kinship Caregiver Identification:
Kinship caregivers are usually identified by birth parents, who have a right and
an obligation to work with GCCS to create a plan for their child(ren). Sometimes,
kinship caregivers are sought out by GCCS staff when birth parents are unwilling
or unable to identify prospective kinship caregivers. A kinship caregiver can be a
relative, friend, or neighbor who assumes the full-time, daily care of a child not
born to them. Kinship caregivers have the option of becoming trained and
licensed as foster parents, but are not required to do so.

Monthly Support Groups through GCCS, where you can share and learn from
other kinship caregivers who are going through the same things that you are
Independent Living services for older youth (life skills education and enrichment
activities) Summer camp programs Monthly newsletter with information
helpful to kinship caregivers Information and referral services Linkage to
community resources Limited access (when available) to emergency assistance
If you are interested in learning more about kinship care through Guernsey
County Children Services, please call 740-439-5555.