Richland County
Kinship Services
Kinship Family Center
43 E. Fourth Street • Mansfield, OH 44902
419-775-5215 • fax 419-775-7837
What is Kinship Care?
Kinship Care refers to a temporary or permanent arrangement in which a relative or nonrelated adult, who has a long-standing relationship or bond with the child or family, has
assumed the fulltime, substitute care of a child whose parents are unwilling or unable to
do so.
Reasons for this need for Kinship Care can include death or chronic illness, substance
abuse, incarceration, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, teenage pregnancy, unemployment, poverty or other problems.
Kinship Care includes relationships established through an informal agreement, a legal
custody or guardianship order, or a kinship adoption. Regardless of how or why the Kinship Care arrangement began, these adults are critically important to the care, wellbeing
and success of these children in need.
In many instances, Kinship Care providers are grandparents taking on the responsibility of
caring for their grandchildren. Grandparents are filling the role of primary caregiver in 10
percent of all households with children. In 86,000 Ohio households with children, a grandparent is the primary caregiver.
Richland County Children Services and the Kinship Family Center believes these Kinship
Care providers deserve adequate resources, reliable information, government assistance
and community support in their efforts.
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How do children benefit from Kinship Care?
Kinship Care allows children to live with people they already know and trust. Traditional
foster care, while the only alternative in some instances, does not offer the kind of familiar
surroundings and familiar people provided by Kinship Care.
Kinship Care creates a sense of stability and continuity in a child’s life. Children in Kinship
Care may be able to maintain their ties to community and family and lessen the trauma all
children experience when forced to leave their own homes.
Kinship Care helps to stabilize family situations and to better ensure the child’s safety,
while preserving and maintaining family relationships. It allows them to maintain their
own family identity, culture and ethnicity.
Often, these children, while happy to be with kin, have been through a great deal. Losing
a parent is hard on a child, and so are many changes taking place in their lives. They may
have been hurt physically or emotionally. They may have been left without enough food
or the shelter and care they needed to stay safe and to grow.
Kinship Care providers help ensure long-term permanency for children unable to return to
their own homes. Many Kinship Caregivers choose to become permanent legal guardians
of children in their care when reunification is not possible.
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Your relationship with the birth family.
A Kinship Care provider must remain objective in his or her relationship with the biological parents/caregiver. Your ability to work with Richland County Children Services and the
local courts is also essential to success.
Kinship Care providers may often struggle with feelings of guilt and loyalty regarding the
biological parents/caregiver. Richland County’s Kinship program is here to provide you
with the support and answers you need throughout the process.
It is important that as a Kinship Care provider that you recognize you have a voice in the
process and that your caseworker is available to listen to your thoughts and input.
What about the child’s educational needs?
Children placed with a Kinship Care provider are often
experiencing significant change, which can be a disruptive
factor in all aspects of their lives, including education.
In order to lessen the difficulty during this trying time, the
goal of Kinship Care is to minimize the changes that affect
the daily lives of the children. One way to help achieve this
is by keeping the child in the same school.
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As a Kinship Care provider in Richland County, you are an invaluable resource in regards to
how well the child fares in school – the struggles and the triumphs – and how the entire
support team can best meet the educational needs of the children.
Together, through information sharing and services such as after-school programs, tutors
and parent-teacher conferences, the goal is to ensure a seamless transition for children
placed into Kinship Care.
If there are specific items the child needs for school and funding for special services, etc.,
please contact your Richland County Children Services caseworker or Kinship Navigator
for assistance.
Who makes decisions about children in my care?
When a child is in the custody of a Kinship Care provider, the caregiver (and parent when
appropriate) are responsible for making decisions about the child.
When working with Richland County Children Services, it is important we all share information to make the best possible decisions for the children and family involved.
Kinship Care providers are important members of a team of individuals responsible for the
safety and well-being of the child or children in their care. Their thoughts, observations
and ideas are critical for the development of a successful support plan. Your Children Services caseworker or your Kinship Navigator can assist with any questions you have related
to decision making on behalf of the child.
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What role does Richland County Children Services Play?
If the children now in your Kinship Care were abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents, a Richland County
Children Services worker may become involved with your
family.
The Agency’s job is to protect children from abuse and/or
neglect, and to help their families. Sometimes Richland
County Children Services becomes involved because a
family asks for help. Other times, someone else – such as
a neighbor or teacher – reports to the Agency that a child
is being abused or neglected or is danger of these things
happening.
Because Richland County Children Services has the important job of keeping children safe, it has powers some other
agencies do not possess.
Dedicated Kinship Team
Family Team Meetings
If the Agency finds a child in danger, it can take legal steps
to physically remove the child from the care of the parent
or other caregiver. For example, Richland County Children
Services may remove a child or children from a troubled
home and turn to grandparents to provide Kinship Care
while the agency works with the parents or other guardians to strengthen the family home and make it safe for the
child to return home.
This does not mean an agency social worker can remove
children from a home at will. Richland County Children Services must follow laws and rules and judges must approve
their actions. Parents and other care providers can disagree
with the agency’s actions. They can tell the judge their side
of the story and have a lawyer to present any other information they believe will help the judge decide.
For more information, contact the Kinship Family Center
in Mansfield at 419-775-5215 or Richland County Children
Services at 419-774-4100.
School Based Social Workers
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You may also call First Call 2-1-1, a clearinghouse for local
residents seeking information about area services, including Kinship care.
Kinship Care services available...
Richland County Children Services has a team of social
workers dedicated to working solely with Kinship Care
providers who are also involved with the agency either on
a voluntary or court ordered basis. Social workers on this
team are trained in the special needs of Kinship Care providers and community resources available to them.
Kinship Care providers and children in their care can apply for monthly cash assistance through Ohio Works First
(OWF) and health care coverage through Healthy Start and
Healthy Families. These are Ohio Medicaid programs which
provide eligible Ohio children and families comprehensive
health coverage. If you are receiving OWF funding through
a child-only benefit for a child in your home, you are automatically eligible for Healthy Start and Healthy Families
coverage.
Kinship Family Center
Richland County Children Services, offering kinship navigator services since 2003, has assisted in the opening of the
Kinship Family Center at 43 East Fourth Street in Mansfield.
The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to
4:30 p.m.
The agency contracts with the City of Mansfield Department of Regional Community Advancement and also
Mansfield UMADAOP to provide the Kinship Navigator
assistance.
Family Support Groups
Kinship Care givers may have difficulty understanding what
resources are available in the community, how to navigate
those systems, and how to effectively advocate for the
children for whom they are caring in order to get all needs
met. The support provided by the local kinship navigator
provides necessary assistance to address those concerns.
Contact your Children Services caseworker or your Kinship
Navigator with any questions related to financial needs,
specific questions on how to apply for cash assistance, day
care, food stamps, home weatherization, energy assistance
or other available community resources.
Kinship Navigator Services
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Kinship Navigators work with the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services to ensure Kinship Care providers have access to medical cards, transportation to medical appointments,
day care eligibility, Ohio Works First, and the Early Learning Initiative.
Workers also coordinate with the Social Security Administration to redirect funding for
Kinship Care providers, if applicable. Kinship Navigators also direct clients to other community resources, such as the Area Agency on Aging, Catholic Charities, Community Action, Salvation Army, and the 2-1-1 community resource line. In addition, there is a support
group meeting two days per month promoting topics of discussion pertinent to caring for
youth.
Kinship Navigators are trained on usage of Ohio Benefit Food Bank and assist clients in
completing ODJFS computerized benefit forms. A Family Needs & Strengths Assessment
is completed upon entry into the Kinship Care program and then quarterly thereafter. The
following domains are assessed to determine need and improvement in these domains.
The following domains will be assessed.
•Finances
•Education/Training
•Employment
•Transportation
•Health
•Housing
•Social Support
•Child care
•Food & Nutrition
The Kinship Family Center offers bi-weekly support groups for
Kinship caregivers. Sessions include guest speakers on topics
that are important to caregivers.
Clients are also informed how to access legal services. The local Kinship Navigator program
has partnered with a local attorney who provides legal services to kin caregivers seeking
legal custody, power of attorney, or general legal questions.
If you have questions regarding the Kinship Family Center, call 419-775-5215.
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What services may Kinship providers expect?
Often, Kinship Care providers are grandparents and other older individuals who are now
unexpectedly raising a child or group of children. The sudden stress of caring for young
children, accompanied by their own difficulties, can make the idea of Kinship Care seem
unbearable.
Kinship Care providers may be able to obtain public assistance to buy food and clothing;
to qualify or re-certify for public housing; to obtain medical care; and gain assistance in enrolling children in their care in school.
Additionally, many Kinship Care providers are forced to care for children who may be
dealing with issues resulting from the absence of their own parents, prior abuse and/or
neglect, behavioral problems and mental health needs.
Depending upon their particular circumstances, Kinship Care providers may be eligible to
receive:
•Kinship Navigator services
•Information and referral to appropriate agency for assistance
•Case management assistance
•Kinship support group
•Mental health services
•Substance abuse assessment and treatment
•Therapy/counseling
•In-home services
•Basic hard good purchases, such as beds and furniture
•Home management
•Housing assistance
•Transportation
•Financial support
•Child care
•Legal services
•Kinship Permanency Incentive assistance
For more information on Kinship Care, call the Kinship Family Center at 419-775-5215 or
Richland County Children Services at 419-774-4100.
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What is the Kinship Permanency Incentive (KPI)?
The Kinship Permanency
Incentive (KPI) program provides temporary financial
support for minor children
in the legal and physical
custody of grandparents,
relatives or other Kinship
Care providers.
KPI is designed to promote
permanent commitments
from Kinship Care providers
by helping to defray some
of the costs of caring for
children.
KPI provides time-limited incentive payments to families caring for kin. Eligible Kinship
Care providers receive an initial payment to defray costs of initial placement and may
receive subsequent payments at six-month intervals to support the stability of the child’s
placement in the home.
The maximum incentive amount may not exceed six payments and will not be provided
for longer than 36 consecutive months. Participation in the program does not preclude
these families from also receiving child-only Ohio Works First benefits.
To apply, Kinship Care providers in Richland County need to complete an application
through Children Services.
To be eligible, the following conditions must be met:
•A court must have awarded the Kinship Care provider legal custody or guardianship of
the child on or after July 1, 2005.
•A public children services agency must have approved the placement and conducted a
home assessment.
•The gross income of the Kinship Care provider’s family, including the child, must not exceed 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
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Kinship Care: Frequently Asked Questions
Question: I have just taken my grandchildren into my home. What immediate issues might I
face?
Answer: The safety of the children may be your first concern if you or Richland County
Children Services removed them from a difficult and unsafe home environment. It may
be necessary for you or the agency to assume legal custody of the children in order
to continue to provide them with a safe home until it’s determined they can return to
their parent(s).
Question: Can the child’s biological parent(s) take the child from my home when I have told
them no?
Answer: It depends on the child’s legal status. If you have legal custody or temporary
custody through the courts and there is no court-ordered visitation, you have every
right to say no. However, if there is no court order, they could take them without your
consent. Legal custody means you are responsible for taking care of the children until
they are adults. If you do not have temporary or legal custody and the case is not
involved with Children Services or the courts, then the biological parent(s) could take
back the children without your consent. If they do so, and you fear for their safety, you
need to contact law enforcement to intervene.
Question: My unmarried son wants to take his child into my home. Can we do this?
Answer: The first thing your son must do is establish that he is the father of the child.
He should contact the local Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) for assistance.
Once he has established he is the father, he can then contact an attorney regarding the
establishment of a custody or visitation order.
Question: I have legal custody of my niece. Can I become her foster parent so I can get other
financial help the county gives to foster families?
Answer: No. Foster homes and foster parents are used only in situations where the
county has temporary or permanent custody of the child. If you have legal custody,
there can be no foster home placement under the law. You are entitled to seek child
support payments from both parents. You may also apply for money through Ohio
Works First, cash assistance to eligible families through Ohio’s Temporary Assistance
to Needy Families program. For child-only OWF cases, there are no time limits on how
long you can receive the money.
Question: Should I consult an attorney?
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Answer: Responsibility for the care of a child is a serious matter and it is your right to
seek legal advice. Whether the parents, the county or you have custody of the child,
legal issues are involved. Richland County Children Services has partnered with a local
Kinship Navigator program that utilizes the services of a local attorney who provides legal services to kin caregivers seeking legal custody, power of attorney, or general legal
questions.
Question: Do I have to give information about my income and financial resources to provide
any government assistance for child relatives in my care?
Answer: If you seek cash assistance or Medicaid coverage for yourself and/or food assistance for your household, you must disclose your income and financial resources. If you
request assistance only for the child in your care, you may not be required to give your
own financial information.
Question: Does my income count in applying for child care assistance?
Answer: Yes. You would have to meet all eligibility requirements for the subsidized
child care program, including financial need, based on your gross monthly income. It’s
important to note that, in all cases, the child care subsidy is only available to caregivers
who are working fulltime or part-time or are enrolled in education or training leading
to employment. The child care subsidy pays a part of the child care cost; the family pays
some of the costs on a sliding fee scale. The state issues payments to eligible providers of child care services, which include licensed child care centers and certified family
child care home providers.
Question: I am caring for my grandchildren and I am worn out. Is there someone I can talk to
about my problems?
Answer: Yes. You may want to consider counseling for yourself and the children. Also,
you may wish to join a Kinship support group where you can share ideas and concerns
and get information. By joining such a group, you will get a chance to spend time with
others going through the same experiences in caring for children. You will learn you are
not alone.
Question: I am having trouble reaching one of the caseworkers involved with my family. What
do I do if I cannot get the worker on the phone?
Answer: If you know the phone number, call the worker’s supervisor. If not, call the
main number for Richland County Children Services at 419-774-4100 or the Kinship
Family Center at 419-775-5215 and ask to speak with your caseworker’s supervisor.
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