Kinship Support Caseworker
Marion County Children Services utilizes a Kinship Support Caseworker, a caseworker dedicated to ensuring children are safely placed with kin in the event they are unable to be safely maintained in their own home. When a parent or caregiver provides our agency with alternative placement options, our Kinship Support Caseworker completes a home study, including a walk-thru and background checks on adults in the home.
Marion was selected in May of 2020 to be the 15th county in Ohio to pilot 30 Days to Family®, an intense short-term intervention developed by the Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition to increase the number of children placed with relatives when they enter the foster care system and to ensure natural and community supports are in place to promote stability for the child. Children who have been victims of abuse and neglect do better when they can remain with kin, within their community and connected to their culture. Research demonstrates kinship care increase: placement stability, identity formation, contact with family, living with siblings, and caregiver tolerance for behavioral and mental health issues. The program goals are to place 70% of youth with safe and appropriate adult relatives, identify at least 80 relatives per case, and to identify at least one backup placement for 75% of the youth served.
OhioKan
OhioKAN is a flexible and responsive kinship and adoption navigator program designed to assist children, caregivers, and families statewide. Referrals can be made by agencies or individuals by visiting their referral site or calling 1-844-OHIO-KAN. From child care to SSI Benefits, OhioKAN has built a comprehensive, statewide information hub with all of the resources available to kinship and adoptive families.
More resources for Kinship providers can be found at www.kinnectohio.org.