STATE OF GRANDFAMILIES 2017
IN LOVING ARMS THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF GRANDPARENTS AND OTHER RELATIVES IN RAISING CHILDREN EXPOSED TO TRAUMA 1
Executive Summary
" Kinship caregivers play a critical role in helping traumatized children to heal. By maintaining ties to family, community, and culture, children are spared additional losses. Being sheltered in the loving arms of a familiar adult is an invaluable frst step on the road to healing." – Dr. Sarah Springer, Chair, American Academy of Pediatrics, Council on Foster Care, Adoption and Kinship Care
Most babies, children and youth have traumatic sense of belonging compared to children in foster experiences 1 before going to live with their care with non-relatives. 9 grandparents, aunts, uncles or other relatives in When children cannot remain with their parents, grandfamilies. 2 More than half of children involved placing them with grandparents and other relatives with the child welfare system 3 have experienced at reduces future trauma and mitigates the impact least four adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), of past trauma. The stability, supportive relationships leaving them 12 times more likely to have negative and extended family network that grandfamilies health outcomes than the general child population. 4 provide to children, align with research-based As the number of children in foster care 5 increases, protective factors that promote resiliency due in part to the nation’s opioid crisis, 6 the child and healing. 10 welfare system is increasingly relying on grandparents and other relatives to raise the children. 7 Yet grand- Policymakers and practitioners must promote parents and other relatives are less likely than approaches that prioritize placing children with non-related foster parents to receive supports relatives when they cannot stay with their birth and services, including those provided by parents, provide trauma-informed training and professionals trained in helping children who mental health services to the children and caregivers, have experienced trauma. 8 and connect the family to comprehensive community-based supports such as legal and Children being raised in foster care by relatives have fnancial help, respite and health care. better health outcomes, more stability, and a greater
"Grandma took us away from all of the drama and made us feel wanted." – Kiersten, raised by her grandmother, West Virginia 2
FACTS AND FINDINGS
• About 2.6 million children are being • More than half (51%) of the children raised in grandfamilies or kinship care in the child welfare system have had with no birth parents in the home 11 four or more adverse childhood (3.5% of all children in the U.S.). 12 experiences, compared to 13% in the general population. 15 • 30% (127,819) of children in foster care are being raised by relatives. This represents a • Children in foster care are at least fve 6% increase from 24% of children in foster times more likely to have anxiety, care in 2008. 13 depression and/or behavioral problems than children not in foster care. 16 • For every child in foster care with relatives, there are 20 children being raised by • Compared to children in foster care with grandparents or other relatives outside non-relatives, children in foster care with the foster care system. 14 relatives have more stability, better mental and behavioral health, and are more likely to report always feeling loved. 17
RECOMMENDATIONS