Nearly 14,000 children live with relatives in the five-county service area served by Kids Central. These relatives, many of whom are grandparents, struggle with the same issues that most relative caregivers face. Case management and referral services were available only to the caregivers of children in the formal child welfare system (approximately 1,000 children). In mid-2005, Kids Central convened a Kinship Care workgroup of various community providers and community entities to identify services and service gaps for relative (kinship) caregivers. With encouragement from members of this workgroup, Kids Central applied for a grant to develop support groups for relatives as parents. A multitude of services are available to kinship families in all five counties, Sumter, Marion, Citrus, Hernando, and LakeCounty.
Program Components:
- Monthly Support Groups – There are support groups in all five counties. They occur once a month and are facilitated by the Kinship staff. We try to have guest speakers at the support groups to discuss topics that are chosen by the relatives. We also provide free childcare.
- Educational Support Groups – Kids Central Inc. received a grant from Western Michigan. Part of the grant award was receiving a support group curriculum that is utilized by the facilitators of the support group. The educational support groups are from 8 to 10 weeks consecutively. We cover topics such as parenting the second time around, navigating the school system, legal issues, mental health and substance abuse. The last class is a graduation summary for the relative caregivers where we provide them with food and a certificate of completion. We provide mileage and child care for all relatives who attend our groups.
- Legal Services- Kids Central Inc. contracts with an attorney to provide free legal services to our relative caregivers. These legal services are only rendered if the relatives are actively participating in the program.
- Intergenerational Activities – Intergenerational recreational activities are provided for caregivers and the children and youth for whom they provide care. These activities are chosen to facilitate communication between the caregivers and the children for whom they care.
- Case Management- Kids Central Inc. provides assistance to relatives on things such as applying for benefits to assisting navigating systems such as the court or school system and providing relatives with referrals for services.
- Annual Kinship Conference- Kids Central Inc. hosts an annual two day conference to raise awareness of Kinship issues. The first day is for professionals and the second day is for relative caregivers. We provide free childcare for the relative caregiver day.
- In-Home Services- Kids Central Inc. will go to the home of relatives who are disabled, lack transportation, or there are circumstances that prohibit them from coming to a group. We provide them with the same curriculum that they would receive at the educational support groups.
- Community Navigators/Peer Mentors- Kids Central Inc. has community navigators in all five counties to assist relatives. Kids Central Inc. also has a relative caregiver on staff to mentor other relative caregivers.
Q. Do you need to have a referral for Kinship services?
A. Yes, a referral can be obtained HERE. All referrals forms should be sent to Michelle Mongeluzzo via fax at (352) 387-3558 or Email.
Q. Do you have to be involved with a dependency court case (DCF) in order to receive services?
A. No. We accept families involved with the dependency court process through the Department of Children and Families as well as voluntary relative placements.
Q. What are the requirements for a kinship case to be accepted?
A. There are two requirements that must be met: a relative child should be living in a home with another relative, and the parent(s) must not be present.
Q. Do customers of the Kinship Program have rights and responsiblities?
A. Please click on the link for a complete copy of the Clients Rights & Responsibilities, Informed Consent, Confidentiality, HIPPA Policy, Civil Rights and Complaint and Grievance Procedure HERE.
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