Blog

Sharing Our Year in Review: A Strong Year of Kinship as a Culture of Learning

January 3, 2023

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 this last year, we’ve grown to understand how kinship care itself is a culture of learning that is inclusive of not only the triad but those who also work to support their well-being.

Let us reflect on the impact and hard work of ASCI’s staff in our Corporate and Regional offices who have continued to exemplify a kin-first attitude and culture of learning by keeping the needs of our children and families at the center of our work.

Further, we have seen kinship care prioritized nationally as a result of growth and learning by actively engaging in meaningful partnerships with other kinship care allies. Over the course of this year, ASCI has worked with seven states; Arizona, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania (Dauphin County, Allegheny County, Philadelphia County, and Washington County), Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, to further expand our national kinship care efforts and commitment to learning from the perspectives of those engaged in kinship care across the country.

Moreover, as active learners of kinship care, we work to intentionally emphasize the lived experiences of those we serve to aid in our success in maintaining our position as the nation’s foremost thought leader in kinship care. But, we recognize we have not done this alone.

We want to thank those who have partnered with us in conversations to educate ourselves and challenge our thinking on kin-first culture through centering lived experience and advocating for cultural learning for system change.

I share, with gratitude, our year in review.