What Is Kinship Care and How Does It Work in Pennsylvania?

When a child cannot safely remain with their birth parents, the people who often step forward first are the ones who already love them most. A grandparent. An aunt or uncle. A close family friend who has been part of that child’s life for years. This is the heart of kinship care, and in Pennsylvania, it is one of the most meaningful ways a child can find stability during an uncertain time.

At Family Care for Children and Youth (FCCY), we believe every child deserves to feel safe, loved, and connected. Kinship care makes that possible by keeping children close to the people and communities they already know. If you are wondering what kinship care is, how it works in Pennsylvania, and whether it might be the right path for your family, this guide is for you.

What Is Kinship Care?

Kinship care refers to the full-time care of a child by a relative or a close family friend when the child’s parents are unable to provide a safe home. The caregiver in this arrangement is known as a kinship caregiver, and the placement is called a kinship placement.

In Pennsylvania, kinship care is recognized as a preferred option within the child welfare system. When a child must be removed from their home, the county agency responsible for their care will typically look to relatives and familiar adults first before pursuing placement with an unrelated foster family. This approach reflects what research and experience have consistently shown: children do better when they can maintain connections to their family, culture, and community.

Kinship care is not the same as informal family arrangements. When a kinship placement is made through the child welfare system, it comes with oversight, support, and in many cases, access to financial assistance and services that help caregivers meet the child’s needs.

Kinship Care vs. Traditional Foster Care: What Is the Difference?

A common question people ask is how kinship foster care differs from traditional foster care. Both involve caring for a child outside of their birth home, and both are part of the Pennsylvania child welfare system. The key differences come down to the relationship between the caregiver and the child, and sometimes the level of prior connection to the child welfare process. Understanding what the goals of foster care are can help kinship caregivers better understand how their role fits into the broader child welfare system.

• Relationship: In traditional foster care, the child is placed with a family they may not have met before. In kinship care, the caregiver already has a relationship with the child, whether as a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, cousin, or close family friend.
• Stability and familiarity: Kinship placements often allow children to stay in the same school district, maintain friendships, and preserve cultural and community ties that would otherwise be disrupted.
• Process: Kinship caregivers go through a similar licensing or approval process as traditional foster parents in Pennsylvania, including background checks, home assessments, and training requirements.
• Support: Kinship families in Pennsylvania may be eligible for many of the same support services and financial assistance programs available to licensed foster families, depending on the type of kinship arrangement.

Both paths are important. Both require commitment, compassion, and the willingness to put a child’s needs first. But for many children, knowing they are living with someone who already loves them makes an enormous difference in how they heal and grow. If you are weighing different options for a child in your life, exploring the differences between foster care vs. adoption can help you think through the long-term implications of each path.

Who Qualifies as a Kinship Caregiver in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania defines kinship care broadly to make sure children have the best possible chance of being placed with someone familiar. Eligible kinship caregivers may include:

• Grandparents
• Aunts and uncles
• Siblings or adult siblings of the child
• Cousins
• Stepparents or step-relatives
• Godparents
• Close family friends who have a meaningful relationship with the child

The most important factor is the existing relationship between the caregiver and the child, and the caregiver’s ability to provide a safe, stable, and nurturing home. Age, marital status, and home ownership are not automatic disqualifiers. What matters is the environment you can offer and your genuine commitment to that child’s wellbeing.

How Does the Kinship Care Process Work in Pennsylvania?

If you are a relative or close family friend who has been asked to care for a child, or if you believe a child in your family may need a safe place to stay, here is a general overview of how the kinship care process works in Pennsylvania.

Step 1: Initial Contact and Assessment

When a child is identified as needing placement, the county child welfare agency will reach out to known relatives and family connections. If you come forward voluntarily, you will be contacted by a caseworker who will begin an initial assessment of your home and your relationship to the child.

Step 2: Background Checks and Home Study

All adults in the home will be required to complete background checks, including child abuse history clearances and criminal history checks. A home study or home assessment will also be conducted to make sure the environment meets safety standards for the child’s care.

Step 3: Training and Licensing

Depending on the type of kinship placement, caregivers may be required to complete foster care training and obtain a foster family license through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. This process is designed to prepare you, not to create barriers. The goal is to make sure every child in kinship care has a caregiver who feels equipped and supported. Reading about what first-time foster parents wish they knew before their first placement can give kinship caregivers a helpful head start as they go through this process.

Step 4: Placement and Ongoing Support

Once a placement is made, the child’s caseworker will remain involved and will work with you and the child throughout the placement. You may have access to financial support, respite care, behavioral health services, and other resources depending on the child’s needs and your licensing status.

Why Kinship Care Matters for Pennsylvania’s Children

Right now, approximately 15,000 children in Pennsylvania are not living with their birth families. Many of them are waiting for safe, stable, and loving homes. Kinship care is one of the most powerful ways to answer that need, because it allows children to remain connected to the people and places that give them a sense of identity and belonging.

Children in kinship placements often experience fewer placement disruptions, stronger emotional outcomes, and a greater sense of security than children placed with unfamiliar families. That does not mean kinship care is easy. Caregivers often take on significant responsibility with little warning, sometimes while also managing their own family dynamics, work, and financial pressures. Creating a stable and responsive environment at home is one of the most important things a kinship caregiver can do, and learning how to create a trauma-informed home for foster children can make a meaningful difference in a child’s healing and sense of safety. That is exactly why having the right support makes all the difference.

How FCCY Supports Kinship Families in Pennsylvania

Family Care for Children and Youth is one of Pennsylvania’s most experienced foster care and child welfare agencies. As a private nonprofit, FCCY has been supporting children and families across the Commonwealth for years, and our kinship care services are built around one core belief: families are a child’s greatest resource.

FCCY’s kinship care services are designed to meet families where they are. Whether you are just beginning to explore what it means to become a kinship caregiver or you are already providing care and need additional support, our team of experienced professionals is here to walk alongside you. Our services are culturally competent and community-based, meaning we take the time to understand your family’s unique background, strengths, and needs.

Through FCCY’s kinship care program, families in the Milton, PA area and across our Pennsylvania locations may have access to:

• Guidance through the licensing and approval process
• Training and preparation resources
• Case management and ongoing support
• Connections to respite care, emergency placement, and other family-based services
• Support navigating financial assistance and benefits

We know that stepping up for a child in your family takes courage, love, and practical help. FCCY is here to provide all three.

Is Kinship Care Right for You?

If there is a child in your family or community who needs a safe place to land, you may already have everything it takes to make a difference. You do not need to be perfect. You need to be present, committed, and open to support. It is also worth taking time to learn about common misconceptions about foster care and the truth behind them, since many of those same myths apply to kinship care and can cause families to hesitate when a child needs them most.

Kinship care in Pennsylvania is a structured, supported, and deeply meaningful way to keep children connected to the people who already love them. And with the right agency by your side, you do not have to navigate the process alone.

Take the Next Step with FCCY

If you are interested in learning more about kinship foster care in Pennsylvania or want to find out whether you qualify to become a kinship caregiver, Family Care for Children and Youth is ready to help. Our team at the Milton, PA location and across our six Pennsylvania offices is here to answer your questions with compassion, honesty, and hope.

Reach out to FCCY today to start a conversation. You can also visit fccy.org to learn more about our kinship care services, adoption services, and foster care programs. For financial information or specific program questions, call us at (570) 522-9790.

A child who needs stability and love may already be waiting for someone exactly like you.

If you have concerns about a child’s safety, please contact the Pennsylvania Child Abuse Reporting Hotline at 1-800-932-0313.