Kinship navigator program development: Listening to family, youth, and advocate voice

ABSTRACT

Kinship caregivers are relatives or close friends who assume caregiving responsibilities due to a variety of unexpected (and sometimes traumatic) circumstances. While many kinship care arrangements happen outside the child welfare system, kinship care also forms an increasing percentage of all child welfare placements and is distinct from traditional non-relative foster parenting. Kinship placements can promote family and cultural continuity and better outcomes for children. However, they also present unique dynamics and stressors, and could significantly benefit from a specific array of social supports and economic resources. This study describes how a partnership-based research project by the state child welfare agency and university partners informed the development of a model for Oregon's Kinship Navigator Program. Researchers gathered statewide input from a diverse array of caregivers, youth in care, and kinship caregiver advocates. Focus groups and key informant interviews were conducted to identify the gaps and needs of Oregon's kinship caregivers. Eleven emergent themes were identified. Recommendations are provided for integrating themes into kinship navigator programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Kinship care
• relative care
• kinship navigator
• child welfare
• Family First

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Administration for Children and Families; Promoting Safe and Stable Families under Grant [CFDA#93.556].

Notes on contributors

Jessica Rodriguez-JenKins

Dr. Jessica Rodriguez-JenKins is an Assistant Professor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work. She engages in practice-informed qualitative and quantitative research, motivated and informed by over 11 years of experience working in community mental health, as an early childhood mental health consultant, and as a perinatal social worker. Dr. Rodriguez-JenKins’ primary research interest is the prevention of child maltreatment in early childhood, particularly in the Latino community, through culturally relevant intervention and engagement strategies targeting parenting support, parent mental health, and parent-child well-being. Her work specifically seeks to support parenting among those served by the child welfare system and other public agencies.

C. J. Furrer

Dr. C. J. Furrer, Research Associate Professor at the Center for Improvement of Child & Family Services at Portland State University, has been working on behalf of youth and their families for more than 20 years. Her experience includes research and program evaluation related to child welfare, support for families with substance abuse issues, drug courts, mentoring, early childhood intervention, youth development, and K-12 education. Dr. Furrer was the Principal Investigator of Oregon’s Title IV-E Waiver Demonstration Project with the Department of Human Services-Child Welfare. She has served as Principal Investigator, Project Director and Data Analyst for both local and national evaluations of programs serving vulnerable youth and their families. She has expertise in quantitative methods and translating research findings into useful products for stakeholders. She has presented and published work related to conceptualizing and understanding how contexts can promote engagement in complex systems such as child welfare and education. Dr. Furrer is an applied developmental psychologist with training in systems science, advanced quantitative methods, and research design.

K. Cahn

Dr. K. Cahn is a Professor of Practice at Portland State University's School of Social Work and Executive Director of the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services. This Center, founded in 1993 as the Child Welfare Partnership, now addresses a range of significant practice reforms in child welfare and child and youth serving systems. Dr. Cahn has served as an educator, consultant, trainer and program evaluation partner. Her work has promoted reform in the intersecting topics of race equity, family and youth voice and activism, family meetings, system of care, family support, child welfare leadership, and implementation science.

K. George

K. George, MSW; has served children and families through the public Child Welfare system in the State of Oregon for nearly 30 years. During this tenure he has served in roles from frontline caseworker, supervisor, Manager of the Foster Care and Youth Transition program for 18 years and more recently as Grants Program Manager. During this time, Mr. George has led, co-authored, and participated in numerous federal and private foundation grants, research studies and initiatives. He has served with Portland State University Regional Research Institute - The Research Consortium and most recently contributed to a chapter in Collaborative Problem Solving; An Evidence-Based Approach to Implementation and Practice titled Implementing CPS in Clinical Settings (2019). Mr. George is proud to be known as one of the first alumni of the Portland State University – Master’s in Social Work Title IV-E Education Program for Child Welfare.