The goal of child welfare agencies is to work with the child’s immediate and extended family and the community to establish a permanent home for a child in care. In some cases, placement with family or kin is the best option to ensure the child is in a safe and nurturing home. There are two options for care with respect to placement with kin: Kinship Service (Out of Care) and Kinship Care (In care). In both cases, prospective family or community caregivers are thoroughly assessed, through the completion of criminal and agency background checks, personal interviews, and an assessment of the home and family. Kinship care families are further assessed and prepared for their responsibility in caring for a child who is in the care of a child welfare agency through the use of a homestudy assessment tool (SAFE) and participation in a preparation program (PRIDE).

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