A Second Chance, Inc. Kinship Navigator

A Second Chance, Inc. (ASCI) Kinship Navigator aims to support children, families, and kinship caregivers involved in the child welfare system. The program works with any kinship caregiver, including relatives or “fictive kin” such as godparents or close family friends. The program centers its practice on the kinship triad composed of the child, the birth family, and the kinship caregiver. This approach is designed to support the family, reduce disruption and trauma, and increase child permanency.  

The ASCI Kinship Navigator program uses Kinship Navigators to identify potential kinship caregivers, prepare kinship caregivers to care for the child, and support families in the transition of care. Kinship Navigators work with the local child welfare agency. They support children who either are at risk for removal from their birth home (non-emergency placements), must be removed from their birth home (emergency placements), or are in a congregate care setting such as a group home (congregate care placements). Kinship Navigators begin by identifying and screening potential kinship caregivers who could care for the child either within 24 hours (for emergency placements) or within the next few weeks (for non-emergency and congregate care placements). Kinship Navigators then prepare kinship caregivers to meet the state-level requirements to become a licensed foster parent and train them on how to support children who may have experienced trauma, mental health issues, difficulty communicating, or challenges regulating their emotions. Kinship Navigators also support families throughout the transition of care by facilitating communication between the parent, the child, the kinship caregiver, and staff from other agencies such as the local child welfare agency. As a part of this support, Kinship Navigators may refer families to services in the community (e.g., domestic violence support, mental health treatment, or housing assistance) or provide direct support (e.g., transportation or gift cards).

A Second Chance, Inc. Kinship Navigator does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies of the program achieved a rating of moderate or high on design and execution.

Date Last Reviewed (Handbook Version 1.0): Mar 2024

Sources

The following sources informed the program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information: the program or service manual, the program or service developer’s website, and the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. 

This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, download the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 1.0