About this recommendation

Every child welfare system is looking for more families. Kinship caregivers are often already full licensed (or have only minor steps remaining to become fully licensed), are familiar with the system, and may have fewer negative preconceived notions about foster children. Not every relative caregiver may be a good match for or even interested in taking in children who they do not know. But even converting a small percentage of relative caregivers to general licensed homes can make a big difference in the available pool of placement options.

Focus some recruitment efforts on existing relative caregivers. Make sure case workers discuss the idea of becoming a general licensed home with relative caregivers at regular points, particularly at permanency milestones like a return home. Your system should have a clear, documented path for “converting” from a relative caregiver to a general licensed home without having to start from scratch.

How to do this

Encourage case workers to discuss the possibility of becoming a general foster home with kinship caregivers. Formally note when a relative caregiver has capacity for additional children in their home (even if they currently have only a child-specific license).
When a placement search reveals no matching general caregivers, look to see if there are matching kinship caregivers. If your system prevents searching across both kinds of caregivers, consider reimagining this when it’s time to redo your CCWIS placements module.

Anticipated costs and benefits

Costs

Benefits

Low to no cost

Wider pool of appropriate placement options
Increased foster family recruitment and retention

Who's doing this

5 of 54 states and territories have implemented this recommendation.

In Colorado, the Kin Connect Child Placing Agency specializes in encouraging and helping relative caregivers to become generally licensed homes.
In Washington, D.C. case workers track relative caregivers’ capacity and milestones on a monthly basis. If they see a relative caregiver may have extra capacity or after a kinship placement returns home, they initiate conversations about becoming a general foster home instead of closing.
In Indiana, case workers are encouraged to discuss the possibility of taking on additional foster placements with relative caregivers on an individual basis.
In Oklahoma, case workers are trained to discuss options with kinship caregivers. Through mixed training classes, relative caregivers are exposed to the idea of general foster care and can interact with general licensed families.