Building on the progress of the last 20 years, helpful federal and state legislation continues to be pursued on behalf of grandfamilies. This update summarizes policy efforts during 2013 and looks ahead to what is on the horizon (2014).

ChildTrends article describing a study that examined the impact of caregiving on Black kinship caregivers. The study found that, while several informal kinship caregivers reported higher levels of stress due to their caregiver role, caregivers’ support networks helped them productively manage this stress by encouraging self-care practices. The article argues that prevention and intervention services that aim to improve caregivers’ stress should include efforts to promote their self-care. 

Article by Ali Caliendo from First Focus' Big Ideas 2023 that examines various out-of-home kinship care arrangements and the different issues they present. The article argues that a development of a standardized framework to discuss kinship care is long overdue in the child welfare field in the context of child welfare policy and practice. Recommendations include requiring child welfare systems to collect and report data based on the universal nonparental family types touching the child welfare system; requiring states to outline how kinship care will be used as part of a state FFPSA prevention plan; further delinking kinship resources from foster care status, and recognizing the need for independent kinship navigator programs.

A fact sheet by the Children's Defense Fund, which provides an overview of the entire act, including sex trafficking and kinship provisions (2014). 

Child Trends brief by Tyreasa Washington and Dominique Martinez that examines stress faced by Black kinship caregivers and its negative impact on their health. The brief offers recommendations to use protective community resources to expand or develop culturally relevant preventions and interventions and health services that improve Black kinship caregivers’ stress levels and reduce their risk of health challenges.