From the child's perspective: A qualitative analysis of kinship care placements

Abstract

Kinship care is not a new phenomenon; a relative caring for children who cannot remain in the home of their biological parents has long been a community strategy utilized to preserve families [Hegar, R. L. (1999). The cultural roots of kinship. In R. L. Hegar & M. Scannapieco (Eds.), Kinship foster care (pp. 17−27). New York, NY: Oxford University Press]. Though there is a long and informal tradition of kinship care, the realization within child welfare that kin may be a valuable resource within the foster care system is relatively recent. Therefore, kinship care research does not match its utilization; indeed, it is only a very few studies that describe, from the child's perspective, the experience of living in the care of a relative [Brown, S., Cohon, D., & Wheeler, R. (2002). African American extended families and kinship care: How relevant is the foster care model to kinship care. Children and Youth Services Review, 24 (1/2), 53–77; Chipman, R., Wells, S. J., & Johnson, M. A. (2002). The meaning of quality in kinship foster care: Caregiver, child, and worker perspectives. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 508–521]. The aim of this research is to provide a descriptive analysis of kinship care from the child's perspective. Eight focus groups were conducted ( n = 40) with children living with kinship caregivers; the topics of discussion centered around transitional issues, family relationships, the stigma of being in care, and the child's perceived stability of their placement.