Millions of older Americans have assumed responsibility to care for grandchildren and other related children whose parents are unable or unwilling to provide for them. Whether the need arises due to parental illness, incarceration, substance and alcohol abuse, child abuse or military service, grandparent and relative caregivers step in, providing a critical safety net to 6 million children who might otherwise find themselves in the nation's child welfare system. Many of these caregivers are elderly and in poor health, on limited income, and ill-equipped to handle the stresses associated with caring for children who may have social, emotional, health and educational issues.
NCSL Resources
Join NCSL's Kinship Care Legislative Policy Network
As a legislative leader or staff person who works on these issues, the Child Welfare Project at NCSL will support your efforts by distributing the latest information related to kinship care (see Network News link below), such as information on legislative initiatives, state activities and summaries of research findings; notifying members of recently-produced NCSL publications related to kinship care; announcement of upcoming NCSL meetings and audio-conferences on the topic; offering assistance via information requests, in-state visits, research; and, surveying network members to obtain information that will assist NCSL in providing useful, timely updates to legislators and staff. Interested? Contact Nina Williams-Mbengue at nina.mbengue@ncsl.org or call 303-856-1559 to join.
Kinship Care Legislative Policy Network News
Other Links
 Child Welfare
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