Aging Network and Child Welfare Collaborations to Support Kinship/Grandfamilies

Nationwide, over two million grandparents are raising their grandchildren. Many other relatives and close family friends are also raising children whose parents are unable to do so. Collectively, these families are often interchangeably called kinship families, grandfamilies, or kinship/grandfamilies. The grandparents and others raising the children are often called kin caregivers.

Research shows that kin caregivers and the children they raise benefit from being in these families and that children in kinship/grandfamilies experience better outcomes when they receive appropriate services like financial, health, and legal supports.  

However, the availability of services varies by state, and services frequently are siloed at different agencies. Many relevant services are offered through the Aging Network and child welfare agencies, and those two systems frequently offer complementary supports. Therefore, collaboration between the Aging Network and child welfare agencies is crucial to better supporting kinship/grandfamilies.

Attendees of this webinar will learn who kinship/grandfamilies are, including their strengths and challenges, how the child welfare and Aging Network systems operate, how they individually support kinship/grandfamilies, and how they can collaborate to better support this population. Attendees also will hear about no-cost technical assistance and resources available from the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center.

Presenters:

• Kylee Craggett, Technical Assistance Specialist, Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network, Generations United
• Leland Kiang, Program Manager, Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network, USAging
• Brooke Mainville, Special Projects Coordinator, Region 9 Area Agency on Aging in Alpena, MI
• Sara McDonald, Director of Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging in Scranton, PA