There are more than 65,000 kin caregivers in Virginia
Kinship is Powerful
Virginia is working to build a kin culture—where kinship placements (relatives or close friends) are the first choice when a child enters foster care.
98%
of all kinship placements achieve permanency
30%
of all foster care placements are placed with relatives or like-family
73%
of kin-first placements remain stable through permanency
Kinship Strenghts
Kinship care keeps children with the people who know and love them best, preserving family, cultural, and community connections that limit the impact of trauma. With the right support, kinship families not only provide stability today but also help break the generational cycle of foster care, creating lasting wellbeing for children and their families.
Connection Matters
Community Resource and Asset Mapping
A resource is only helpful if it's discoverable and accessible. So many resources in underserved communities go untapped simply because most of the people who need them can't get to them. In collaboration with students from the Sociology Department at Christopher Newport University, our Community Mapping Project aims to eliminate this barrier by using community members to source data into a managed and accessible mobile app. And where technology itself is a barrier, a community outreach liaison will provide printed directories updated monthly and work with public and private providers to secure reliable access to information.
Groups
This parenting thing is tough, no matter what your family situation looks like. Having people in your life to support you can make all the difference. If you're a kinship caregiver and are looking for your people, consider a group!
Related Articles
September 5, 2025
The Power of Kinship Placements: Strengthening Foster Care for Children, Families, and Communities
Foster care is a crucial system that provides temporary homes for children who cannot live with their biological families. Traditionally, foster care has relied on placing children with unrelated families, but in recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the benefits of kinship placements. Kinship placements refer to the practice of placing children in the care of relatives or close family friends.
June 14, 2025
The Importance of Family Reunification
As Christians, we also need to remember that we serve a God who wants to reconcile people to Himself and restore people to right-relationship with Him and others. As His children, we can encourage and pray for the restoration of families if it is in the child’s best interests.
