Kin-First Courtrooms: Resources for Families and Youth

Resources for Relatives, Caregivers & Youth

Kinship Care and the Child Welfare System

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Portrait of african american multigenerational family taking a selfie together at home. Family and lifestyle concept.

Tags: Families, legal professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals,  youth

Summary
This brief provides insight into how kinship caregivers help preserve family ties and provides children with a sense of family support and how their care also saves society more than $6.5 billion each year in formal foster care costs. The study seeks to determine the needs of these kinship care providers and how policy and practice can help meet these financial and other needs.

Caregiver Notice and Right to Be Heard

Ohio Supreme Court

Woman housewife holding sleeping infant and cooking dinner in kitchen talking to older children. Babysitter rocking newborn and preparing meal for preschool kid in kitchen

Tags: Families, legal professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals,  youth

Summary
This toolkit is designed to provide an overview of the recommendations and best practices that courts may use to provide caregivers (kin, or non-relative) with notice and an opportunity to be heard at all hearings. It further provides the rationale behind this recommendation and other resources for the court’s reference. It recommends that local courts adopt rules to allow caregivers to provide meaningful information to the court. It also includes sample caregiver forms.

Kinship caregiver resource guide

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

ODJFS kinship caregiver guide crop

Tags: Families, legal professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals,  youth

Summary
This guide provides information for kinship caregivers ranging from the definition of kinship families to resources for financial, legal and educational support of the young people for whom they are caring.

Kinship Caregiving Options

Ohio Supreme Court

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Tags: Families, legal professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals,  youth

Summary
This brief provides insight into how kinship caregivers help preserve family ties and provides children with a sense of family support and how their care also saves society more than $6.5 billion each year in formal foster care costs. The study seeks to determine the needs of these kinship care providers and how policy and practice can help meet these financial and other needs.

OhioKAN

OhioKAN frame no title

Tags: Families, legal professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals

Summary
OhioKAN is a 100% free service for Ohio's kinship and adoptive families. Our OhioKAN Navigators are available to talk 1:1 about any questions you may have. Call 1-844-OHIOKAN (1-844-644-6526) Mon - Fri 8:30am - 6:30pm.

Youth Navigator Network

YNN frame

Tags: Youth, legal professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals

Summary
The Youth Navigator Network provides youth and young adults with children services involvement with resources, connections, and an expanded network of support statewide.YNN NAVIGATOR LINE 1-833-OHIO-YNN 1-833-644-6966 Our YNN Navigators are available to talk directly on the phone with you 1:1. Our most commonly available hours statewide are: Monday: 10:00am - 6:00pm Tuesday - Friday: 8:30am - 4:30pm Or, message YNN through the website.

Ohio Legal Help

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Tags: Families, legal professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals, youth

Summary
A new online tool is available to support Ohioans caring for children of relatives and family friends. Ohio Legal Help, with funding from a Supreme Court of Ohio federal Court Improvement Grant, has developed an interactive section of its website to help kinship caregivers navigate complex topics that can impact displaced children and their caretakers. Topics include understanding the court process, enrolling children in school, getting medical care, and other benefits. The online tool also offers an interactive, step-by-step process to walk caregivers through developing their own action plan, which includes benefits and resources available to the child.

Kinship Caregiver Action Plan

family kitchen

Tags: Families, Legal Professionals, CASAs/GALs, child welfare professionals, youth

Summary
This interview helps kinship caregivers in Ohio find information on court processes, enrolling children in school, getting children medical care and getting access to benefits.

Join us in this work!

Sign up here to receive e-mail updates about this project and even join a committee if you'd like. If you have any questions, please contact Alyse Almadani at alyse.almadani@kinnectohio.org.