Idaho

Idaho KinCare Resources

The best hope for our children is that they are raised in a healthy, happy, and loving home being cared for by their parents. However, family crisis sometimes results in children being placed with relatives or other meaningful adults in their lives. This type of custody arrangement is commonly referred to as KinCare.
Most often, incarceration or substance abuse addiction compromises a parent's ability to raise their children and results in a KinCare household. Parental death and long term physical and mental illness are other leading causes of KinCare relationships. KinCare keeps children connected to their family when their parents cannot care for them. This significant event of losing their parents has a profound effect on the children and they need a stable loving home to bring them back to normalcy.
KinCare placements may be madeformally through a social service agency but are more frequently arranged without formal intervention. This usually occurs when family members voluntarily take the children into their homes to keep them safe in times of family crisis. These families need to know that they are not alone and there is support available for them in the community. State funded aid programs and community support groups are ready to help these families in their time of need. For more information about the programs and services available consult the information contained on this website or call 2-1-1 (1-800-926-2588).

Idaho Statistics

--Over 18,000 Idaho children live in households headed by grandparents or other relatives.

--In 2006, Idaho had nearly 10,000 households in which grandparents were raising their grandchildren, an increase of 20.7% since 2000. This compares to an increase of 1.2% for the nation over the same time period.

--Parental incarceration and substance abuse are the two most common reasons for relatives to assume care giving responsibilities.

Legal Resources

--Information and advice about the process of obtaining custody, guardianship, adoption and other courses of action.

--Legal forms with step by step instructions to start the process of obtaining a legal relationship with your child.

--Low cost and pro-bono legal services --Link to Legal Resources

Community Resources

--Monthly cash assistance for families that qualify

--Health and dental insurance available for children

--Early childhood education and intervention services available for developmentally and physically disabled children

--Food assistance programs. --Link to Community Resources

Statewide KinCare support groups

--Established support groups in your area are meeting regularly to share information among members and provide a safe place to discuss the problems associated with your new parenting situation.
--Link to Support Groups

Hot Links

--Links to pages with vital information to your parenting situation.

--More community resources in your area.

--Message boards to connect with other parents in your situation.
--Link to Hot Links