Services

Kinship care can be defined as the full-time nurturing and protection of children by relatives who have a kinship bond with children when those children have been separated from their biological parents.

The Kinship Caregiver Program of Catholic Charities provides support to relative caregivers using a family systems approach. The program encourages families to access existing community resources, as well as form new relationships with other community organizations, services and caregivers.

Services Provided in Cattaraugus County

• Outreach: To reach out to families in need
• Advocacy: To provide active support; and promote rights of the family, that is, caregiver and children
• Case Management: Organize services for the family
• Assessment and Referral to Family Counseling: To provide help and support to the family as a whole and each individual member
• Parenting education
• Referral and linkage: Assistance with connecting to other resources in the family’s community, including legal, financial, and human services

Eligibility

Children must primarily live with a relative caregiver and be TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) eligible or eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Children living with a non-parent relative caregiver are eligible to receive a 'child-only' TANF grant, regardless of the caregiver's income. 

The children don’t have to be in court ordered legal arrangements such as permanent or temporary custody, guardianship or kinship foster care. Arrangements made with the child’s parents are acceptable for this program.

There is no cost for the program services, and where caregivers are unable to come to our offices home visits can be made.


Challenges the Kinship Caregiver Program can help with

• Advocacy and assistance with applying for financial benefits for children
• How to meet the needs of the child (emotional and behavioral concerns)
• Fulfilling your new parenting role and stepping out of the ‘relative’ role
• Negotiating your new relationship with the child and the child’s parent(s)
• Parenting strategies
• Financial demands
• Legal concerns and questions
• Finding affordable, accessible health care and health care coverage
• Housing needs
• Affordable and reliable child care
• Questions and concerns regarding child’s education