Relative Placement Tip Sheet

							                                                                                                             R. 05/04




                               Relative Placement Tip Sheet
                  When we make a determination that a child may not safely remain in his or her own home, it may be
necessary for the child to live outside of the family home. Out-of-home placement may prove traumatic for children so
every effort is made to maintain continuity with familiar surroundings and supportive family. In an effort to preserve
meaningful family connections, Relative Placement is the first placement of choice. If a child is placed with a non-relative
when they first enter care every effort should be made to locate appropriate relatives (e.g., in an emergency removal).
Once willing relatives are located a Relative Home Study should be initiated. To obtain information about relatives a
Genogram/Family tree should be completed with any willing family member (if not already done at case planning). If
identifying information is secured, but whereabouts are unknown the SSW can follow the procedures of seeking an Absent
Parent to locate relatives.

Workers should be prepared for common situations that arise in relative placements.

During the home evaluation process be prepared to:
 Provide answers to questions commonly asked about relative resources.
 Make every effort to place siblings together and in relative placement.
 Answer questions about permanency.
 Discuss the role of the relative as a member of the Family Team.
 Describe their role in case planning.
 Respond to questions about visitation, treatment and care of this specific child or sibling group.

When working with relatives workers need to be aware that:
 Care providers may be motivated to keep the child—they may sabotage visitation and ultimately reunification.
 Perhaps they have ulterior motives for keeping the child(ren) (e.g. seeing the Kinship care benefits as income)
 Relative caregivers may benefit from receiving a copy of the Visitation Tip Sheet.
 There may be long standing family conflicts, that are played out in the process of providing care for the child(ren).
 Alternatively the relatives could have a problem that the removal occurred and may disregard court orders of no contact or
supervised contact with parents.
 There can be situations where parental interference with the placement is more problematic than a foster care situation, as the
parents know where the children reside. Often the family relation allows the parents perceive permission to overstep normal
boundaries.
 Relatives may need to be educated (or reeducated) on developmental issues with the child(ren). They may benefit from some
of the Foster parent training materials.
 Relatives may need to be instructed on the importance of speaking only in positive or neutral terms, of the parent, in the
presence of the child(ren).
 They need to understand that it is normal for children to act out more after visits or intense counseling sessions.
 Most of all they need to feel supported. Relative placement resources can receive the support of the Kinship Care Program.
Other supports, including Support Groups are available in some communities.                            A list is available at:
http://www.cwla.org/programs/kinship/2003statefactsheets/kentucky.pdf

A child who has been removed from their home can find comfort and acceptance, in the familiarity, continuity and sense
of belonging to a family from relative placement. These benefits can often help remedy the traumatic impact of abuse and
neglect of the child and prevent further trauma that can come from placement in an unfamiliar, out-of-home setting.
These benefits may help to provide a safe, stable home for the child. Some of the parents with whom we work come from
families where significant problems related to child abuse, substance abuse, domestic violence, impaired or non-existent
attachments exist and may affect the lives of family and extended family members. This may create additional special
problems in relative placements on a case by case basis. Caregivers can benefit from a letter of introduction to carry with
them for school enrollment, medical care, etc. This should be in addition to, but not in replacement of a copy of the court
orders of custody.
                                                  For more information:
                              http://www.cwla.org/programs/kinship/2003statefactsheets/kentucky.pdf
                              http://www.aarp.org/confacts/grandparents/census2000.html
                              http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/grandparents.html