The Kinship Care Program

 Posted on March 20, 2017 in Child Custody

It is not uncommon for a child’s extended family to step in when the parents are unable to provide adequate care. Under the Kinship Care program offered by Child Protective Services (CPS), relatives are granted custody of children who cannot remain with their parents. Unfortunately, these individuals are often not compensated to the same degree as foster parents and so may struggle with the financial aspects of child rearing. However, a recently introduced bill could change this by increasing the financial aid available to Kinship Care guardians.

The Benefits of Kinship Care

There are a number of benefits to allowing children to remain with relatives in the event that their parents are unable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of parenthood. For instance, the Kinship Care program allows children to remain in a familiar setting, which can be far less traumatic than if they were uprooted and placed in foster care. This program also helps:

• Parents retain a sense of hope that their children will remain connected to their family members;
• Create a sense of stability and security because the children are able to reside with people that they already know and trust;
• Ensure that children are in a safe and familiar environment;
• Reinforce a child’s sense of cultural identity and self-esteem; and
• The child build healthy relationships.

The Recent Proposal

A Texas lawmaker recently proposed a significant increase in state payments for kinship care. Although the program currently provides financial assistance to grandparents and other extended family members who agree to take in minor relatives who have been removed from their parents’ custody, the payments are few and far between. For instance, those who have relatively low incomes, are provided with a single integration payment of $1,000 per child as well as an annual reimbursement of around $500 per child. This is well below what licensed foster care parents receive, as they are paid approximately $700 per month for a child with typical needs. If passed, the new law would replace the single yearly payment with a monthly stipend that is comparable to what parents receive in the foster care system.

Contact an Experienced Complex Child Custody Attorney Today

If the recently proposed law is passed, more relatives who are eager to enter the Kinship Care program and take custody of minor family members, but who have concerns about finances will have access to grants that could allow them to more effectively shoulder the financial burden of caring for additional children. If you have questions or concerns about taking custody of a relative’s child, please contact the passionate and dedicated Round Rock complex child custody lawyers at Powers and Kerr, PLLC today for professional assistance throughout each step of your case.

Sources:

https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Adoption_and_Foster_Care/Kinship_Care/

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/child-protective-services/2017/02/20/dallas-lawmaker-proposes-major-bump-payments-kinship-care-abused-kids