WHAT IS KINSHIP CARE?
The primary goal of foster care is to provide a nurturing home for children until it is safe for them to return to their families. If a child cannot safely remain at home with their families, the next best option is placement in a family setting with a kinship caregiver or foster family.
WHO CAN BE A KINSHIP CAREGIVER?
Kinship caregivers are preferred placements for children due to their knowledge of and relationship with the family and the child. Placement preference is determined by the following specific order, and subject to the child’s best interest:
- Non-custodial parents
- Relatives: The child’s grandparents, great-grandparents, aunt, great-aunt, uncle, great-uncle, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepparent, first cousin, step sibling, sibling, parent’s first cousins, and adults who are the adoptive parents of the child’s sibling. For an Indian child, relative also includes an “extended family member” as defined by the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).
- Friends: If relatives are not available, an adult identified by the parent or the child who the child knows and is comfortable with may be considered. Friends must be willing to become licensed foster parents for the specific child.
START HERE: Contact the Division of Child and Family Services at 801-538-4100 or visit their website here. Utah Foster Care does not determine kinship placements; however we do provide the training for licensure.