Kinship Care

About Kinship Care


Kinship care is the full time care, nurturing, and protection of children by a relative (Code of Virginia §63.2-100). The Virginia Department of Social Services supports placing children with relatives when children cannot live with their parents. In Virginia kinship care families are eligible for assistance based on either an informal or formal arrangement.


Informal Kinship Care


Under this arrangement, a child is not in the custody of a local department of social services.


Formal Kinship Care


In some cases once a child is in the legal custody of the agency the relative or relatives who come forward to care for the child must go through the same certification process as our resource/foster parents.

When the child is in the custody of a local department of social services and living with a relative who is an approved foster parent, assistance includes the following:
Annual training to develop knowledge and improve skills regarding meeting the needs of the child
A monthly stipend for the child's basic care requirements
Assistance in the management of the child's behavior


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