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Who We AreThe Humane ExchangeAmerican Humane's Blog‘Kinship Care’ Is Some Kids’ Best HopePosted August 28, 2008 
A child is taken from an abusive or neglectful parent. We all breathe a sigh of relief. But what if we’re exhaling too soon? Hearing the story of foster child Anthony Pico, who was recently featured on National Public Radio’s This American Life (click on “Full Episode” and then fast-forward to “Act Two”), reminded me that protecting children goes well beyond removing them from dangerous households. This is obviously a priority in certain cases, but it’s also just the first step toward ensuring these children’s well-being. According to the NPR story, Anthony’s mother was addicted to cocaine and abandoned him at the hospital following his birth. But his hardships didn’t end there; he bounced around to so many homes and schools that by the time he turned 18, he was in danger of failing to graduate from high school, despite his tremendous intelligence and his talent for public speaking. I was struck by the utter lack of stability in Anthony’s life. Twice, relatives had stepped forward to care for him -- but both times, they passed away shortly thereafter. Would Anthony’s teenage years have been easier if one of those situations had worked out? It’s impossible to know if terrible circumstances might have kept Anthony from finding the “real home” he so desperately needed. But I do know that “kinship care,” or turning to extended family members like grandparents, aunts, or uncles to take on child-rearing responsibilities, is often a viable solution for kids like him. Staying with family means children can hold on to their cultural identities. Kinship care can also lead to reunions with parents who may overcome drug abuse or other problems and be ready to re-enter children’s lives at a later date. And when family members keep kids out of foster care, there’s often a greater chance that kids won’t be subjected to multiple homes and schools like Anthony was. I’m not saying kinship care is always the answer -- foster parents frequently provide permanent and loving homes, and they should be commended. But when loving relatives come forward to help, we need to show them the same level of appreciation and support. Unfortunately, that isn’t happening. Kinship caregivers rarely receive the services and assistance they need. Grandparents and other relatives raising children often have difficulty enrolling them in school, authorizing medical treatment, accessing federal benefits, and more. Perhaps this is why so many kinship caregivers -- 19 percent of grandparents raising their grandchildren, according to Generations United -- live in poverty. American Humane is trying to turn this situation around. We have long advocated involving families in the child protection decisions that affect them -- rather than simply removing children without contacting or consulting relatives. We also support the Kinship Caregiver Support Act, which would give relative caregivers access to more resources. While our Public Policy Office in Washington, D.C., tells me that this bill might not pass in 2008, most of its provisions have found their way into House Resolution 6307, the "Fostering Connections to Success Act," and Senate Bill 3038, the "Improved Adoption Incentives and Relative Guardianship Support Act," both which are expected to pass this year. We’re working hard to get these and other bills enacted before Congress adjourns at the end of September. So if you haven’t registered yet to receive our legislative updates, be sure to sign up and add “Action Alerts” to your special interests. Kids like Anthony need as many advocates as they can get.
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