Putting Kin First

Children do best when they can be raised by people who already know and love them, when those caregivers are safe, suitable, and available.

That belief is grounded in research, data, and the experiences of thousands of young people and families. Kin-first practice has long been central to Think of Us’ work across research, programs, and policy, including our direct support of caregivers through Virtual Support Services.

What Kin-First Means

Kin-first means doing the work to identify and engage suitable kin before looking elsewhere for placement. And kin is broader than family by blood or adoption. It can include relatives, close family friends, godparents, mentors, and other trusted adults who are already part of a child’s life.

When suitable kin are available, children should have every opportunity to remain connected to the people, relationships, culture, and community they already know.

When kin cannot provide a placement, children still deserve strong, stable care. We work to ensure foster parents are supported while helping children maintain meaningful relationships with kin whenever it is safe and appropriate.

Building a System That Works for Kin

Kinship care existed long before the child welfare system. Families have always stepped forward to care for children they love.

But today’s child welfare system was not designed with kin caregivers in mind.

That is why our work goes beyond individual placements. We work to:

• Remove barriers that make it harder for kin caregivers to step forward.
• Design supports around what kin families actually need.
• Strengthen policies and practices that help agencies identify and engage kin early.
• Address incentives and processes that can cause suitable kin to be overlooked.

The goal is not kin placement at any cost. It is a child-centered decision that considers each child’s safety, relationships, stability, and long-term well-being.

Putting kin first is putting children first.