Kinship Navigation: How To Find Support and Overcome Challenges
Kinship care provides stability, safety, and support for children in a familiar environment. In Maryland, kinship navigation services can help families access benefits and support and manage any challenges.
How does kinship work?
Many families are kinship caregivers and don't even know it, because it was at the request of the parent due to a serious hardship. So, it's an informal and temporary arrangement.
Kinship caregivers provide 24/7 care in the home of a relative or family by choice (non-relative). This keeps kids connected to their culture and community.
The child may be placed in a caregiver's home:
- at the request of the local Department of Social Services or
- through an informal request from the child’s parent if they encounter a serious hardship
Kinship caregivers partner with the child and their biological parent.
That new relationship can challenge family dynamics and impact the child, parent, and the caregiver's family.
While the 24/7 care is supposed to be temporary, sometimes the kinship caregiver becomes part of the permanent solution by adopting the child or becoming their legal guardian.
Kinship navigators can help caregivers navigate the process and connect them to available resources and benefits. Nationally, kinship caregivers underutilize available benefits, often because they don't know they are a kinship caregiver or that resources and benefits exist.
Kinship Navigation Help
Kinship navigators are available to help families navigate assistance programs.
You can dial 211 and get connected to a kinship navigator. They are knowledgeable about kinship benefits and community resources that can offer support.
The child may be eligible for:
- Temporary Cash Assistance/Child Only Grant
- food stamps/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- child care
- health insurance
- utility assistance
- Social Security benefits
Learn about each of these benefit programs in 211's Kinship 101 Guide.
Get supportive text messages
211 Maryland and the Maryland Department of Human Services also send text messages connecting grandparents and relatives to resources and support.
MDKinCare provides:
- Easy access to information and community resources.
- Encouraging messages
Text MDKinCares to 898-211.
211 Maryland offers text message alert programs which provide region-specific resource information or provide disaster alerts. Text STOP to the same number to unsubscribe. Full SMS terms at https://211md.org/sms/ will also apply.
Learn from other kinship families
Trina Townsend cared for her niece and nephew when they were teenagers. She thought of herself as an "aunt" before learning about the available benefits.
Trina Townsend, now the Kinship Program Specialist, joined the “What’s the 211?” podcast to discuss what it's like to be a kinship provider.
She went from being a single-parent family of two to a family of five. She remembers the challenges and concerns, hoping she could financially care for the children while also supporting their needs and those of her sister.
Now educating families and connecting them to support, Trina is a resource for all kinship families.
Information for Kinship Families
211 Maryland can connect kinship families to information and resources to address essential needs. Dial 211 to talk with someone.
Community Resources for Kinship Caregivers
Kinship caregivers keep children connected to family and culture, so it can be a very positive experience. Connect with resources and support to navigate kinship.
Community organizations throughout Maryland are available to help.
Virtual and Home Visits
In Prince George’s County, you can contact the Progressive Life Center, a private care organization that provides kinship support. Virtual and home visits are available for emotional support, guidance, and they also provide access to counseling and financial assistance.
Video training
The Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative Center video series helps families learn from others who have overcome kinship challenges for the benefit and well-being of the child.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation offers a training series with tips to help with feelings of loss and ambivalence when a relative comes to live with you. The training series also tackles important themes like guilt, hope, and denial.
Permanent Placement
While kinship care is temporary, the placement with a kinship caregiver can last longer than expected. Kinship caregivers should plan for that possibility.
Local kinship navigator can also help to find a path forward, temporarily and permanently, for the child.
If the child is in foster care, the Department of Social Services will work to find a permanent solution. If the child can’t return to their biological parents, the kinship caregiver can become the permanent legal guardian through adoption, legal custody, or guardianship.
Dial 211
Talk to a caring and compassionate person 24/7. They can also connect you to resources.
Navigating Challenges: Family Dynamics
Depending on the circumstances leading up to the temporary living arrangement, kinship may challenge family dynamics.
This can include the child, kinship caregiver, and biological parent(s).
- The child may need support managing stress or help to heal from trauma.
- The living arrangement can interrupt the caregiver’s plans, priorities, and privacy.
- The parents and caregiver may have to confront challenging feelings like guilt, shame, anger, distrust, resentment, and loss.
It can also erode trust within the family. The biological parent may have to earn back the relative’s trust to once again care for the child.
Both the parent and kinship caregiver may also find it challenging to respect boundaries, as these are new or have changed.
The caregiver should help the parent find the support they need to heal, with the ultimate goal of returning the child to the parent’s care when possible.
What can you do?
As the kinship caregiver, you should be prepared to help the parent get the therapy, counseling, or support they need.
The parent and kinship caregiver are encouraged to:
- Listen and support each other.
- Be honest about needs and concerns.
- Show empathy toward each other’s challenges.
- Acknowledge difficulties for all involved.
Also, dial 211 and talk to a trained professional who can help connect you to kinship resources and community support.
Other Resources for Kinship Families
Maryland Kinship Care 101: What It Is And How It Helps
Caring for a relative’s child or family by choice (non-relative) makes a difference! Even if it’s an informal arrangement, this 24/7 care is kinship care…
Support for Children and Families
Together, we can help Maryland’s children thrive! Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or kinship family, 211 is here to connect you to community supports.…
How Maryland WIC Helps Women, Infants and Children with Food
WIC provides food vouchers to eligible moms-to-be, new moms who are nursing, and children up to age 5. Learn about eligibility and get connected to…
Maryland’s Guide to Free Food
Increasing food costs and the federal shutdown are stretching food budgets for families and individuals, and we’re here to help you learn about food assistance…
Maryland Food Stamps/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Food Stamps The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, provides financial assistance to low-income households so they can buy food. For…
Summer Camps, Programs and Food Support for Children
Are you wondering how to keep your child busy while they are on summer break? There are free or low-cost recreation programs available in your…
Find Resources Now
Find community resources for food, health care, housing and more in our database. Search by ZIP code.
explore assistance programs
Learn about benefit programs and how to connect with support.
Housing
Rental payments, eviction prevention, homeless shelters.
Utilities
Electric, gas, and water bill assistance programs.
Immigration
Immigration help for new Americans and refugees
explore assistance programs
Learn about benefit programs and how to connect with support.
Utilities
Electric, gas, and water bill assistance programs
Housing
Rental payments, eviction prevention, homeless shelters
Immigration
Immigration help for new Americans and refugees
