Relative Adoption
What is "kinship" care?
Kinship care, or kin care, takes place when a child's relative assumes parental duties from the child's biological parents. That happens sometimes because the biological parent is unable to care for the child (for a variety of reasons) and an aunt, an uncle, a grandparent or other kin want to step in to take care of that child.
What are the different kinds of kinship care?
There are in essence three types of kinship care. The first is informal, and it's when the parent acknowledges that he or she may not be able to take care of their child, and a relative simple steps in to assume the care of that child. In this instance, there's no intervention of any authorities or the state or anything along those lines. Voluntary kinship care takes place when a child is placed with relatives, and the child warfare system is involved but the state has not taken legal custody of the child. In the third type of kinship care, the relatives are also taking care of the child cause the child has been placed with them. The state has take legal custody of the child and has a roll in the placement of that child with relatives.
What is "family group decision making"?
Family group decision making is a process whereby there's been recognition that a child may be at some risk but the child welfare system has not formally intervened, but a process has begun where the family of the child and the biological parents--and by family, it can mean friends, neighbors, aunts, uncles--they sit down and make a plan for the care of that child; and often, that involves the child being placed in the care of relatives.
What if the relative I wish to adopt is living outside of the U.S.?
The act of adopting a relative from another country is considered international adoption, and so it has to comply with U.S. laws governing international adoption as well as any state requirements that may be in place.
