Every year thousands of children in LA County are moved out of the physical care and home of their biological parents who are no longer able to adequately or safely provide for their well being. Many of these children are placed in foster homes or group homes, but more than half are placed with a Relative Caregiver – a grandma, aunt, uncle or sibling.

Specifically, South LA (SPA 6), which represents 10% of the county population, is home to 25% of the County’s 10,000 children in formal Relative Care. Thousands more children in South LA are living informally or unofficially with a relative, making Relative Caregivers the largest foster care provider.

These Relative Caregivers heroically step up – sometimes in a matter of a few moments -- to take in these children who would otherwise go into the care of strangers. The impact of this decision on a Relative Caregiver is far more complicated than most people, even experts realize. Their lives in every way – physically, emotionally and financially – are turned upside down. Stable middle class families or seniors who live on their life savings are pushed to the brink of poverty because they have accepted unexpected financial burden of caring for a child, sometimes multiple children.  Life plans and dreams – graduate school, retirement, career change – must be altered or put on hold. The physical and emotional impact is equally great as many children suffered great loss or trauma before entering their care.

Support for Relative Caregivers lags behind support for foster care providers -- they don't receive the support or recognition that they and their children deserve. In particular, Relative Caregivers struggle finding support for mental health issues. Our Relative Caregivers are fighting to win more mental health services in South Los Angeles to meet both their needs and their children's needs with preventative services.
Kinship in Action works with Relative Caregivers to fight for funding, resources and services that these heroic grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings need in order to raise these children.

For more information contact Kinship in Action at (323) 750-8036 or email info@cocosouthla.org.

You can read more about our current campaign in the news. Check out these stories:

Relative Caregivers Demand Support, La Opinión, June 4, 2010

Dozens Protest in front of LA County DCFS, LA Times, June 3, 2010

Op Ed: Relative Caregivers Deserve More Support, Our Weekly, May 27, 2010

Relative Caregivers Fight for Recognition, LA Wave, May 15, 2010

CoCo Brunch Celebrates South LA Relative Caregivers, LA Times, May 9, 2010