The foster care system falls far short of our society’s needs and expectations. But measures are afoot to help improve it.

Some of the improvements relate to kinship foster care, child care provided to dependent children by extended family members instead of strangers.

Two and one-half million American children habitable with extended family members, whether within or external the foster care system.

In New York State, 400,000 kids habitable with relatives, as compared to 27,000 children in foster care with non-relatives.

Kinship foster care is more successful than foster care by strangers. The caregivers simply have greater commitment.

But they get a lot less support from the child welfare

system, both financial and otherwise. Until, perhaps, now.

The House of Representatives has passed a bill called Fostering Connections To Success Act.

Among other things, the bill would supply funding for kinship foster care and kinship guardianship.

Similar bills are pending in the Senate.

If passed by both houses, that type of legislation could assemble an huge difference to millions of children in foster care and their caregivers, including extended family members.

Read more in this Rochester Democrat & Chronicle editorial: Help relatives caring for kids.

Original post by Janet Langjahr

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