Imagine the season of retirement is approaching for you and your husband. You’ve made plans, discussed your finances, dreamed about vacations and debated whether you should downsize your home. While life hasn’t been easy, you have both worked hard and are fully ready for this next stage of your life. 

Then you receive a phone call. It’s an investigator from Child Protective Services (CPS). “Are you Jenna’s mother?” 

“Yes.” 

“I’m here with your daughter. She was just arrested for possession. We’re going to have to do a legal removal of your grandchild. Are you willing to take Max in?”

“Of course, I can take care of him. How long? A few weeks?”

“Right now, this is just temporary. But it could potentially be long-term.”

Your grandson Max is 2 years old. You knew your daughter had struggled over the past few years, but she told you she’d been clean for a few months. When she’s sober, she’s a very attentive mom. While your goal is keep your grandson safe, you also don’t know anything about the future or whether your daughter is safe too.

This is how it feels to be a kinship caregiver. 

They receive a call when they least expect it, with very little information about the length of a case or what will happen next. Family dynamics make things complicated, considering almost every kinship caregiver must balance their responsibilities and love for both the parent and the child. 

Many caregivers ultimately want their relative or family friend to have their children placed back with them. However, they also understand the longer a case goes, the less likely this is to happen — and the child may stay with them permanently.

How does kinship care differ from traditional foster care?

Unlike standard foster families, kinship families either already have a child placed with them through CPS, or a plan is in place to move a child in care to their home due to a preexisting kinship connection. Kinship families are either direct relatives of the children, or fictive kin, meaning they are friends with or know someone in the child’s biological family. 

Who is eligible for Buckner kinship licensure?

1. The child must have a current, open CPS case.
2. The caregiver can be single, legally divorced or married for at least two years.
3. The caregiver must pass a background check including Texas criminal history, CPS history and an FBI fingerprint check. If the caregiver has any previous arrests, they may still be eligible, but it depends on the type of charge and the amount of time since the charge. It’s important to be fully upfront with workers about any past charges.
4. The caregiver cannot have any unrelated family members living in their home.

How can you become licensed for kinship care?

The average time from initial contact to licensure is four to six months. 

1. Initial interview with a Buckner case worker
2. Complete full background check
3. Sign up and complete trainings
4. Turn in applications, documents and paperwork
5. Complete any requested physicals and TB tests
6. Complete home study interviews
7. Home study approval process
8. Licensure and scheduled official placement of the child/children

What support does Buckner provide for kinship families?

Buckner has several staff who specialize in kinship care families. Because kinship caregivers have different needs, they may need more assistance with the process. 

Kinship families receive a lot of one-on-one support to help them complete everything and move toward licensure. Once families receive their license, their designated case worker can answer questions relevant to them and specific to their situation with the child. 

After at least six months of licensure, permanent guardianship will be transferred to the kinship caregiver. These caregivers usually either take guardianship or adopt. It’s a long, difficult process, but once everything is complete, the families will no longer need to be involved with the state. 

Buckner is also able to provide:

• One-on-one training (according to capacity limits and families’ needs) and extra home visits to help with completing applicable paperwork
• Assistance with licensing expenses such as reimbursement for fingerprints, TB tests, medication locks, fire extinguishers and occasionally supplies for the children such as beds
• Once licensed, daily reimbursement until the case closes
• Agency support in advocating for the child and helping the family understand the dynamics of CPS
• Assistance and guidance with closing the case, navigation with adoption subsidy/PMC payment negotiation
• Other Buckner family benefits such as back-to-school events, trips to Camp Buckner, Christmas gifts, birthday gift cards or needed supplies

Between January and August 2024, Buckner helped 53 kinship children statewide to reach permanency through permanent guardianship or adoption after their caregivers were licensed through our kinship program. This doesn't include any kinship children currently placed, or who will likely be placed by the end of this year.

Buckner is dedicated to putting a child's needs first and when reunification with family isn't possible, finding a permanent home with love and stability is always the goal. Kinship caregivers are an essential part of finding safe families for vulnerable children.

Written by Taylor Zreet, kinship care specialist for Buckner Children and Family Services in Fort Worth, Texas.

Are you a kinship caregiver interested in learning more? Connect with us now.