Kinship Care

EVOLVE Family Services values keeping children connected to familiar settings and communities while in foster care. For this reason, EVOLVE values kinship care which prioritizes children being placed with relatives/kin, while efforts towards reunification are being made.

Kinship care allows children to be placed with relatives or trusted adults they already know, such as an aunt, grandparent, older sibling, cousin, close family friend, or community member with a significant relationship to the child.

Keeping children connected to their relatives and kin helps maintain trust, stability, and a sense of normalcy during a time of transition. Kinship care prioritizes a child’s well-being by preserving connections to family, community, and cultural heritage, which can help reduce the trauma of being separated from their primary caregivers.

Three children with brown hair, one girl and two boys, exploring green foliage outdoors, with one girl reaching into the plants.
Close-up of multiple hands stacked on top of each other, symbolizing support and unity, in black and white.

We recognize that kinship caregivers often step into this role unexpectedly and may face unique challenges. Our team provides guidance and support throughout the kinship licensing process to help ensure children are safe, supported, and cared for in a familiar environment.

The licensing process helps ensure a child’s safety while in out-of-home care and includes:

  • Required paperwork

  • Background checks*

  • A home safety check

  • Training

  • A home study assessment to evaluate readiness, strengths, and support needs

If you are interested in learning more or beginning the process, we encourage you to schedule an informational session with our team.

If you have questions regarding your background check such as previous criminal offenses, please contact us at the email or phone number below as this will not automatically disqualify you from applying for kinship care.

Support for Kinship Caregivers

To schedule a consult and/or for additional information regarding relative/kin services, please fill out the form below.

If you are a County Worker hoping to make a referral for foster care/adoption licensing for a prospective relative/kin family for permanency planning purposes, please complete the Relative Referral Form