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- Kinship Relative Care
Kinship Relative Care
Kinship care is defined as the full-time nurturing and protection of children by kin or by someone with a significant relationship to the child.
Kinship Care Can Be Done in Two Ways - Informally & Formally
An informal arrangement is made by the family involved independent of the child welfare system.
A formal arrangement involves the child welfare system. In formal arrangements, the family has a choice to be a certified or non-certified placement:
- Certified kinship care refers to those children/youth living with a relative where the relative has been certified as a foster parent through the child welfare system.
- Non-certified kinship care refers to those children/youth living with a relative who has custody of the child and is not certified as a foster parent through the child welfare system.
In Colorado, there are more than 80,000 children under the age of 18 living in a grandparent or other relative-headed household. This represents approximately 7% of all Colorado children.
Jefferson County recognizes the importance of kinship families in the lives of children:
- Children in kinship homes are twice as likely to report positive emotional health as those in traditional foster care.
- The children in kinship homes also report higher levels of happiness and contentment in their kinship placement.
- For these reasons, Jefferson County case management services are individualized to meet each family's needs.
Financial & Medical Assistance
There are a number of options for financial and medical assistance for kinship care families. Some assistance is temporary and other assistance may continue until a child reaches adulthood. See what is available and apply for kinship relative caretaker benefits.
Complaint Process
File a complaint through the Child Protection Ombudsman of Colorado.
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Human Services
Physical Address
900 Jefferson County Parkway
Golden, CO 80401
Phone 303-271-1388
Hours
Monday - Thursday
7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Buildings are closed on Friday, but online services are available.