Kinship Caregivers

You step in to care for your kin. We step in to support you.  

You love your family, friends, and community and want to care for them through difficult times. Working with the child welfare system can be confusing with restricted resources that you may not know you have the right to access. Through every joy and challenge along the journey, Amara is here to support you so you can support your kin.

Are you caring for the child of a relative or close family friend and the state (DCYF, CPS, etc.) is involved? 

Amara’s Kin Connections program can connect kinship families in King and Pierce counties with children who have entered the foster care system with support as soon as possible after a child is placed. The program focuses on providing short-term supports to meet immediate needs, while simultaneously connecting kinship families to other resources and programs that can support them long-term. These short-term supports include applying for financial assistance, education around navigating the often-complex child welfare system, and/or assisting with requirements for the new child-specific state license. This license allows kinship families to receive monthly foster care payments to help offset the costs of caring for children.

Resources for Kinship Families

At Amara, we are committed to providing articles, tools, tips and other resources to support your family’s journey.

If your family needs food, baby necessities, clothing or other essentials, visit our Family Resource Center in Tacoma.

If you are interested in building a collaborative relationship with the parent(s) of the child(ren) you are caring for, our Collaborative Parenting Workshop, a brave space for kinship caregivers and parents, can help. It’s a free, six-week online course designed especially for kinship families.

In-depth support for kinship families in King County is available in our new KinPLUS pilot program. Families must be referred by the state to participate in KinPLUS. 

Support for kinship families outside of King and Pierce counties can be found through the Alliance’s CaRES program which provides support to kinship families across the state who are caring for kids who have entered the foster care system. Entering the foster care system means that the state has made the decision that your kin are not safe being cared for by their parents and are working with you to temporarily care for them. The Alliance offers basic resource navigation (childcare, mental health, TANF, and other resources), assistance with the licensing process, and support groups. 

Are you caring for the child of a relative or close family friend without the state’s involvement? 

There is a dedicated support person in your county called a Kinship Navigator who can help you access resources and support groups in your community. Search online to find your local Kinship Navigator and get their contact information.  

You can also visit the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services kinship webpage to find resources to help you with health care, legal issues, financial assistance, and other needs. 

Meet our team! Read this Amara blog post to learn more about our Kinship Care Team (Trey, Brittney, Emani, JaVonya and Crystal). For more information about our kinship services, email us at KinshipCaRES@amarafamily.org.