Many times kinship families are created during times of trauma. An infant is born substance exposed. Parents are experiencing poverty or are homeless and can’t care for their children. There is domestic violence in the home.
When a family member receives the call to help they are dealing with much more than just the responsibility of taking care of the child(ren) who are moving from an unsafe home. It may be their own child, or their sibling, whose struggles have led to this traumatic time. The day-to-day dynamics of the now evolving family unit can be difficult.
However, kinship families come together to preserve the family bonds and ensure it is strong and sustainable. There is continuity in everything from the daily routine to family traditions to religious and cultural observations.
As a result, infants grow with their own family from the start. Siblings stay together. Children do better in school with less disruption.
Kinship Caregivers do it because they love their family – They are generational heroes and we honor them every day!
