Kinship Service
At the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CAST), we continue to witness the benefits of keeping children and youth connected to their family, culture and community through Kinship Service. Kinship Service is when a child or youth does not come into the care of CAST, but instead is placed in the care of a Kinship Family.
We have an in-house team, including the roles below, dedicated to finding, assessing and supporting care through Kinship arrangements.
When we first meet with a family, we ask parents about their family members and other supports. This helps inform the work of our Kinship Connections Workers who search for Kin and/or Kith to not only provide a place a child or youth to stay but also to connect them to their family members and communities. In situations where Kin and/or Kith Caregivers are not able to have a child or youth reside with them, there is always an opportunity to maintain connections through contact and/or visits
Meet with Kin and/or Kith families to assess plans to ensure they are safe, viable and meet the needs of the child or youth.
Provide ongoing support to Kin and/or Kith families to ensure that the child or youth is provided with safe, healthy and nurturing environments where they can continue to thrive and grow.
