Honoring Kinship Caregivers on National Caregivers Day!
According to The Children’s Bureau, there are over 407,000 children and youth in foster care and 34 percent were placed with relatives or kin. This is why, A Second Chance, Inc. strives…
A Discussion on Mentoring and Financial Wellness for Youth Aging Out of the System
Mentorship can play a critical role in preparing transition-age youth for adulthood. According to the University of Chicago’s Chapin Center, by age 26, 36% of young people who ‘aged out’ of foster…
Sharing Our Year in Review: A Strong Year of Kinship as a Culture of Learning
Through over 30 years of knowledge building for an effective kin-first culture, we know that kinship care work must include the kinship triad (the child, birth parent, and caregiver). In reflecting over…
Protecting ICWA Protects Kinship: SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments in Brackeen v. Haaland
Kinship stretches far beyond blood relation. This same belief is shared by American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribal communities, and why the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA) is…
30 Years of Knowledge Building for an Effective Kin-First Culture: A Natural Family Resource for Children in and out of the Child Welfare System
Sharon McDaniel, Ph.D., EdD, MPA President and CEO, A Second Chance, Inc. I am an alumnus of what is now known as kinship care. Today we prefer to call this “lived…
National Youth Justice Action Month: Q&A with Shielah DeBlanc
President, Joseph R. Biden Jr. proclaimed October National Youth Justice Action Month (NYJAM). During National Youth Justice Action Month, I call upon States and communities to join me in seeking…
National Baby Safety Month: Recommendations for Kinship Caregivers on Baby Safety Kelly Starver, Ph.D. Nursing
The month of September recognizes baby safety and kinship care as national designations. For many kinship caregivers, having a baby in the house or caring for a baby may be a completely new experience. …
Free Developmental Screenings for Children
The ELRC Region 5 is hosting four Ages & Stages Questionnaires® developmental screening events for free during the month of September. Learn More Families with children ages two months to…
Father Shares Encouraging Story About the Strength of Kinship as Mental and Emotional Support for His Children
For children and adolescents, family connectedness acts as a protective factor for their mental health. Fostering this sense of belonging and being cared for in youth can reduce the likelihood…
Suffering in Silence: Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis Further Exposed by the COVID-19 Pandemic | Q&A with Dr. Jacqueline Wilson
Dr. Jacqueline Wilson CEO, TRAC Services for Families Less than 25%. While mental health issues do not discriminate based on race, color, gender, or identity, the understanding of mental health…