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Private and voluntary kinship caregivers face challenges raising their kin children. Through focus groups and interviews with Kinship Navigators (KNs) and caregivers, this case study examined: the (1) evaluation activities shaping the definition of the Kinship Navigator Program (KNP); (2) essential components of the program; and (3) perceptions of KNs and caregivers regarding facilitators, barriers and efficacy of the program. Essential components included program advertising, needs assessment, resource and referral, support groups, in-home services and advisory council. KNs and caregivers were in substantial agreement regarding facilitators and barriers, perceived the KNP as useful for caregivers and their kin children, and strongly supported the continuation of the program.
Private and voluntary kinship caregivers face challenges in raising their kin children. These challenges may be even greater than those experienced by public kinship caregivers. Research has identified common problems faced by both private and voluntary kinship caregivers who are caring for children who are not in public kinship care. These include: insufficient knowledge of and access to needed services and resources, inadequate social supports, financial strain, and poor health (Cuddeback, 2004). Grandparents who are informally caring for grandchildren may face even greater challenges; these caregivers tend to be older, have less access to resources and supports, and have lower incomes than non-kinship foster parents (Hayslip & Kaminski, 2005; Minkler, & Fuller-Thomson, 2005, Sakai, Lin, & Flores, 2011).
Although many states offer poor and low-income, private, and voluntary kinship families child-only grants through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, the grant payment amount is much less than the typical foster care maintenance payment (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2012). In addition to limited financial assistance, private and voluntary kinship caregivers often lack access to information and services available in the community (Bullock, 2004; Hayslip & Kaminski, 2005; Letiecq, Bailey & Porterfield, 2008; Strozier & Krisman, 2007). Services available to public kinship caregivers have also been criticized for failing to help kin caregivers sufficiently access needed information, resources, and supports; yet the services available to public kinship caregivers far surpass those available to private and voluntary kinship caregivers (Letiecq et al., 2008). Despite the lower levels of services and financial assistance available to private and voluntary kinship caregivers, these caregivers report a desire to support their kin...