亲属导航：如何寻求支持和克服挑战
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 或者
- 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
- 健康保险
- 公用事业协助
- Social Security benefits
Learn about each of these benefit programs in 211's Kinship 101 Guide.
Get supportive text messages
211 马里兰州和马里兰州人类服务部还发送短信，将祖父母和亲戚与资源和支持联系起来。
MDKinCare 提供：
- 轻松访问信息和社区资源。
- 鼓舞人心的讯息
发短信 MDKinCares 至 898-211。
211 Maryland 提供文本消息警报程序，可提供特定地区的资源信息或灾难警报。向同一号码发送短信 STOP 以取消订阅。完整的 SMS 条款位于 https://211md.org/sms/ 也将适用。
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 进步生活中心, 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
这 儿童福利能力建设合作中心 video series helps families learn from others who have overcome kinship challenges for the benefit and well-being of the child.
这 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.
永久安置
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.
拨211
全天候与一位充满关爱和同情心的人交谈。他们还可以为你提供资源。
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.
- 父母和照顾者可能不得不面对具有挑战性的感受，例如内疚、羞耻、愤怒、不信任、怨恨和失落。
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.
鼓励父母和亲属照顾者：
- 互相倾听和支持。
- 对需求和疑虑诚实。
- 对彼此的挑战表现出同理心。
- 承认所有相关人员的困难。
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
马里兰亲属关怀 101：它是什么以及它如何提供帮助
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对儿童和家庭的支持
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.…
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实用工具
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