Benefits of Kinship
At the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, we continue to witness the benefits of Kinship arrangements and the positive impact they have on children, youth and families during a time of need.
Kinship Caregivers provide a trusting environment for a child or youth as they often have an existing relationship and/or have spent time in their home. By placing a child or youth with someone they know, we are reducing trauma, anxiety and allowing them to adjust more easily to a new living arrangement.
Through Kinship arrangements, children and youth can better maintain a sense of identity and keep connected to their community. Kinship families allow for them to be surrounded by people who understand where they come from and who share and nurture similar – if not the same – familial, religious, cultural and other identities.
Parents and primary caregivers often feel more comfortable knowing their child or youth will be cared for by someone they know. This is an important element in maintaining positive, ongoing connections between the child or youth and their parents throughout the Kinship arrangement.