Kinship Families

Northern Post Adoption Regional Consortium

Funded by Va Department of Social Services, the Northern Post Adoption Regional Consortium offers case management, crisis supports, training, and other services for post-adoptive families. It is a partnership between The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), enCircle, Children’s Home Society and NACAC to offer post adoption services and supports.

All families who have finalized adoptions of children ages birth through 18 years and reside in Virginia are eligible for services at no cost. This includes families that have adopted domestically, internationally and through foster care.

  • PDF, Northern Post Adoption Regional Consortium

    Consortium Flyer for families

  • PDF, Northern Post Adoption Regional Consortium

    Consortium Flyer for professionals

  • Website, Northern Post Adoption Regional Consortium

    Website


Virginia Custody and Guardianship info from Commission on Youth

Shared in June 2020, these presentations to the Virginia Commission on Youth cover legal and technical provisions for child custody cases in Virginia as well as Guardianship, Entrustment, and Kinship Arrangements in Virginia.

  • PDF, Virginia Custody and Guardianship info from Commission on Youth

    Overview of Guardianship, Entrustment, and Kinship Arrangements in Virginia presentation to Commission

  • PDF, Virginia Custody and Guardianship info from Commission on Youth

    Legal Framework for Child Custody Cases presentation to Commission


Kinship Care: Know Your Rights as a Relative Caretaker

From Virginia Poverty Law Center, a review of kinship caregiver rights and benefits.

  • Document, Kinship Care: Know Your Rights as a Relative Caretaker


Engaging Families in Mental Health and Disability Services tip sheet

This one pager from the new Northern Virginia Family Network (NVFN) designed for professional staff who work with families and youth. It offers some brief, straightforward suggestions and reminders about effectively communicating and building partnerships with families who are in need of education, mental health, disability and other services and supports.

Members of the NVFN are found on the back of the flyer.

  • Factsheet, Engaging Families in Mental Health and Disability Services tip sheet


Raising and Working with Children and Youth in Foster Care or Living with Kin: Your Guide to Resources in Virginia

This Guide from Virginia Family Special Education Connection offers families and professionals links to state- and local-specific resources for enrolling students, education, medical care, mental health, transitioning students to post-secondary settings, courts, and other areas.

Updated Summer 2023

  • Website, Raising and Working with Children and Youth in Foster Care or Living with Kin: Your Guide to Resources in Virginia

    Website resource

  • Document, Raising and Working with Children and Youth in Foster Care or Living with Kin: Your Guide to Resources in Virginia

    Flyer


Summary of Family First Prevention Act

Signed into law in February 2018, the Family First Prevention Act reforms child welfare funding streams and focuses on prevention supports for families “at risk” of foster care, and adds supports for kinship navigation and other kinship initiatives.

  • Website, Summary of Family First Prevention Act

    Summary by First Focus Campaign for Children


Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information on who is considered “Parent” for financial aid

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information on who is considered “Parent” for financial aid.

If you are considered a dependent student for FAFSA® purposes, you will need to provide information about your legal parent(s) on the application. A legal parent is your biological or adoptive parent, or your legal parent as determined by the state (for example, if the parent is listed on your birth certificate). If you have a stepparent currently married to your legal parent, you generally also must provide information about him or her.

  • Website, Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information on who is considered “Parent” for financial aid

    More info and how to apply


Virginia Code section regarding enrolling kinship children in school: Section § 22.1-3

Virginia Code section regarding enrolling kinship children in school: § 22.1-3. Persons to whom public schools shall be free.

  • PDF, Virginia Code section regarding enrolling kinship children in school:  Section § 22.1-3

    Virginia Code § 22.1-3

  • Website, Virginia Code section regarding enrolling kinship children in school:  Section § 22.1-3


Kinship Care and School Enrollment in Virginia, report for the Virginia Commission on Youth

Kinship Care and School Enrollment in Virginia, report for the Virginia Commission on Youth.

  • Report, Kinship Care and School Enrollment in Virginia, report for the Virginia Commission on Youth


Power of Attorneys: Introduction, from Legal Aid Justice Center

Introduction to Power of Attorney including answering what is a Power of Attorney, what are the benefits of executing (completing and signing) a Power of Attorney.

Instructions for Power Of Attorney including steps for the agent to perform.

  • Guide, Power of Attorneys: Introduction, from Legal Aid Justice Center

    Introduction to Powers of Attorney

  • Guide, Power of Attorneys: Introduction, from Legal Aid Justice Center

    Instructions for Power Of Attorney


Education for Immigrant Students and Children of Immigrants, from Legal Aid Justice Center
  • Guide, Education for Immigrant Students and Children of Immigrants, from Legal Aid Justice Center


National Resource Center for Diligent Recruitment

The National Resource Center for Diligent Recruitment, NRCDR website closed on September 29, 2017. The NRCDR website is not being maintained but resources on diligent recruitment remain available.

  • Website, National Resource Center for Diligent Recruitment


Kinship webpage from Child Welfare Information Gateway
  • Website, Kinship webpage from Child Welfare Information Gateway


Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast series

Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast Series from Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Link to streaming services to listen to part 1 & part 2 of the podcast, or get the transcripts.

 

  • Website, Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast series

    Part 1 Website

  • Transcript, Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast series

    Transcript Part 1

  • Website, Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast series

    Part 2 Website

  • Transcript, Supporting Kinship Caregivers Podcast series

    Transcript Part 2


Kinship Treatment Foster Care toolkit

This 2015 toolkit from the Foster Family-based Treatment Association offers an overview of treatment foster care by kinship caregivers.

  • Toolkit, Kinship Treatment Foster Care toolkit


Hope and Healing for Sensory Deprivation

This booklet provides an overview of Sensory Deprivation or Sensory Processing Disorder. Based on the work of Carol Kranowitz and Karyn Purvis, information on definition, origins, detection & diagnosis,  and treatment are included.

  • Document, Hope and Healing for Sensory Deprivation


The Grandparent’s and Other Relative Caregiver’s Guide to Raising Children with Disabilities from the Children’s Defense Fund
  • Guide, The Grandparent’s and Other Relative Caregiver’s Guide to Raising Children with Disabilities from the Children’s Defense Fund


Children’s Defense Fund Guide to Resources for Kinship Families
  • Guide, Children’s Defense Fund Guide to Resources for Kinship Families


Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren
  • PDF, Grandparents Caring for Grandchildren


Compilation of Kinship Resources
  • Document, Compilation of Kinship Resources