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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 to be the nation’s foremost thought leader on kinship care and premier provider of the highest-quality kinship care services to the triad; to give all youth the opportunity to grow into responsible adults, and realize a world where abuse and addiction cycles are broken.
February 17, 2023, is National Caregivers Day and this day allows us to highlight current and former kinship caregivers. Please see these wonderful stories from a few caregivers who were featured in our newsletters!
A Lived Experience Story
This journey has truly been an eye-opener for me. Kinship caregivers must be educated on the systems and how they work. Most importantly, I would advise that as intrusive as this process will be, the smile and memories created for my grandchildren are priceless.
To read this article in its entirety, please click here.
A Lived Experience Story ft. Christine Rather
Youth are much more than a paycheck. They are humans with the same emotions as anyone else. Christine believes that children deserve to be loved, cared for, comforted, and much more. Children deserve the right to thrive and be successful, much like Christine’s youngest daughter.
To read this article in its entirety, please click here.
National Kinship Care Month: Kin First
Looking back on his caregiver journey, Collier advises others who may be taking in a child in need of placement to, “prepare yourself by asking all the questions, then ask your caseworker, all the necessary questions. The reality is that in some cases this is not an overnight thing. If this is what you are going to do, think of it as 18 years. You have to be serious about it.”
To read this article in its entirety, please click here.
Tips for Kinship Caregivers
1. Develop deep loving relationships with your youth.
2. Be a strong moral role model.
3. Expand your child’s circle of concern.
4. Promote children’s ability to be ethical thinkers and positive change-makers in their communities.
5. Help children develop self-control and manage feelings effectively.