In 2006, in Michigan, 6,814 children were placed in relative foster care or 4% of all children in relative care. This means that over 175,000 children were living with relatives who volunteered to care for them. This is very important to the decisions that volunteer kinship caregivers must make once they are committed to raising beloved children in their extended family. Get your pens ready here are five things kinship caregivers need to know:

1. Legal authority to care for the children. Choosing the best option for the family is a big question for relative caregivers – guardianship or a less authoritative option.

• First – Do something!
  
• Medical consent, Power of Attorney are like permission slips signed by the parent. They are helpful, but not legal in a court.
  
• Limited Guardianship or Full Guardianship involves petitioning Probate Court which involves parents. For children in Placement the Department of Human Services will be involved. Limited Guardianship is a secure way to clear legal authority when parents will be away from the children for an extended time including military deployment.
  
• Adoption is the most secure if there is no chance for children to return to the parents. There are many family dynamics involved for any decision regarding legal authority. Because it is a thoughtful decision it must be carefully considered.

2. Get a Will – Children in kinship care are left vulnerable to Probate if there is no Will from the Guardian. Talk with an attorney, kinship care support group, senior center, local AARP representative, or other legal assistance resource on how to prepare a Will that covers:

• An executor and alternate executor of the estate (even if you think you have nothing of value). The executor can be any trusted person who will follow through with your wishes as stated in the Will.
  
• A designated guardian for the children, and alternate in case the designated guardian is unable or unwilling to accept the responsibility.
  
• Specific wishes about protection of any funds that have designated the children as beneficiaries.

Be sure to follow through by having the document notarized, make copies and store in a safe place.

3. School Issues – Learn about registration policies and other issues:

Contact the school to show that the Caregiver is the authorized guardian. The caregiver should ask about the process for registration including necessary papers required. Immunizations should be updated, if necessary, as early as possible prior to registration. Visiting the school with the child to learn the school policies – buses, lunch, field trips helps everyone to know what to expect. Caregivers should get a school calendar and place in a visible place at home.

4. Financial Resources – the local DHS is the first best place to start because many services may be available to kinship caregivers especially by providing a Medicaid health card for the children. The Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov, is also a good source especially if the parents are deceased, or the caregivers are seniors. Many community services such as Head Start, the Health Department, or Community Action Agency, can help in areas that are not directly related to kinship care.

5. Local Kinship Care Center – A local resource for kinship caregivers can be so helpful with the subtle questions that face individual family situations as well as a support of others who are experiencing the unique issues to kinship care.