Emma’s* grandparents began their kinship care journey when Emma’s parents could not safely care for her. As a toddler, Emma needed many things her grandparents didn’t readily have, like a car seat, age-appropriate toys, clothes and diapers. And although the state agency that helped them welcome baby Emma provided an interpreter, they struggled to fully understand all the rules and paperwork required for them to become a placement resource for their grandchild.
Luckily, the state referred Emma’s grandparents to Amara’s kinship program, KinPLUS, (kinship Placement Licensing and Unconditional Support). Our team has bilingual staff that can help bridge the gaps in what caregivers understand and provide them with someone they can freely talk to. “Being able to communicate in the same language is so valuable because it helps families build trust and understanding,” said Crystal Nambo, Kinship Care Placement Manager at Amara.
Crystal helped Emma’s grandparents become licensed with the state so they could receive monthly financial support, just like foster caregivers get when they accept placement of a child in foster care. This income makes a world of difference for many kinship caregivers who are grandparents living on fixed incomes.
* Name changed to protect privacy