Dedicated to Family and Fictive Kin Providing Full Time Care to Children

Providing Care When It’s Needed

The Maryland Resource Parent Association and the Maryland Department of Human Services / Social Services Administration celebrate Maryland’s families in which grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends are raising children whose parents are unable to do so.

Kinship caregivers help provide for the safety, performance and wellbeing of their relative children and youth. Placement in the home of an extended family member or close family friend can help children and youth stay connected to their communities, siblings, cultural traditions and social networks.

According to the Anie E. Casey Foundation, during the past 15 years, most states have been reducing barriers to foster home licensing for relatives and close family friends who open their homes to children who cannot stay with their parents.

Maryland has a Kin-First Culture

Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed legislation in May, 2024 that is the cornerstone of the state’s shift to a kin-first culture in child welfare. For youth experiencing out-of-home care, the new law establishes a preference for living with relatives, including family by choice.

Offer Your Resource Suggestions!

The Maryland Resource Parent Association is inviting and encouraging our kinship families, all Maryland caregivers and caregivers from across the country to collaborate with us to help develop an informative ‘Kinship Corner’ resource.

Kinship Families and all supporters of children and youth are invited to suggest the types of trainings and community supports needed, how to strengthen the kinship voice, and their support groups.

MRPA Project #1 Invitation
A National Effort

There is a need for the development of a basic “Parent Involvement 101” education training to support and sustain academic achievement for Kinship youth and all youth in out of home placement.

Research indicates that children and youth in care are often 2-3 grades behind. There is a need for a parent involvement educational training that infuses basic academic “kitchen table” support and the elements of trauma informed child welfare issues. Caregivers from California to Maine are invited to provide their input and suggestions to support children and youth in their educational journey. Often, best practices and caregiver lived experiences are the effective supports needed to help our children.

Please accept the MRPA invitation to become engaged in our special projects. We will collect your input and suggestions and hope to develop a final training in December to be published in the Kinship Corner.

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