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Chapter 5: Safety for Children in Kinship Care

DOI:

10.1891/9780826125330.0005

Abstract

This chapter considers the well-being of caregivers. Child safety is an important topic in kinship care for multiple reasons, not the least of which is that children are placed into relative’s homes as a strategy to end the maltreatment that brought them to the attention of the child welfare system. It is important that children experience both physical and psychological safety, but for many children who have been victims of maltreatment, psychological safety can be more difficult to achieve. Multiple strategies and suggestions for instilling a sense of psychological safety are offered for use by caregivers and child welfare workers. Kinship caregivers face a significant amount of scrutiny. Despite the fact that research reveals multiple and significant benefits associated with kinship care, many professionals question whether placement with kin is in a child’s best interest.