To provide deepened and expanded discussions of the advantages of kinship foster care, this paper attempts to understand the theoretical backgrounds of kinship care. The paper also analyzes research studies regarding caregiving environments and well-being outcomes of children in kinship foster care to examine whether empirical evidence supports theoretical conjectures. In addition, the paper discusses the status of knowledge concerning kinship foster care and the rigorousness of research methods. The paper's analysis and discussion are intended to provide theoretical perspectives for suppositions in practice and, eventually, guide child welfare practice.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AltshulerS. J. (1999). Children in kinship foster care speak out: “We think we're doing fine.”Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 16, 215–235.
2.
AstoneN. M., NathansonC. A., SchoenR., & KimY. J. (1999). Family demography, social theory, and investment in social capital.Population and Development Review, 25, 1–31.
3.
BeemanS. K., KimH., & BullerdickS. K. (2000). Factors affecting placement of children in kinship and nonkinship foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 22, 37–54.
4.
BenedictM. I., ZuravinS., & StallingsR. Y. (1996). Adult functioning of children who lived in kin versus nonrelative family foster homes.Child Welfare, 75, 529–549.
5.
BengstonV. L. (2001). Beyond the nuclear family: The increasing importance of multigenerational bonds.Journal of Marriage and Family, 63, 1–16.
6.
BerrickJ. D. (1998). When children cannot remain home: foster family care and kinship care.The Future of Children, 8(1), 72–87.
7.
BerrickJ. D., BarthR. P., & NeedellB. (1994). A comparison of kinship foster homes and foster family homes: Implications for kinship foster care as family preservation. Children and Youth Services Review, 16, 33–63.
8.
BilaverL. A., JaudesP. K., KoepkeD., & GoergeR. M. (1999). The health of children in foster care, Social Service Review, 73, 401–417.
9.
BilingsleyA. (1992). Climbing Jacob's Ladder: The enduring legacy of African-American families. New York: Simon & Shuster.
10.
BourdieuP. (1986). The forms of capital. In RichardsonJ. G. (Ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education (pp. 241–258). New York: Greenwood Press.
11.
BourdieuP. (1993). Sociology in question. London: Sage.
12.
BrooksD., & BarthR. P. (1998). Characteristics and outcomes of drug-exposed and non drug-exposed children in kinship and non-relative foster care.Children and Youth Services Review, 20, 475–501.
13.
BrownS., CohonD., & WheelerR. (2002). African American extended families and kinship care: how relevant is the foster care model for kinship care?Children and Youth Services Review, 24, 53–77.
14.
CarpenterS. C., & ClymanR. B. (2004). The long-term emotional and physical wellbeing of women who have lived in kinship care. Children and Youth Services Review, 26, 673–686.
15.
ColemanJ. (1988). Social capital in the creation of human capital.American Journal of Sociology, 94, 95–120.
16.
ColemanJ. (1994). Foundations of social theory. Cambridge, MA: Bellknap Press.
17.
CourtneyM. E., & NeedellB. (1997). Kinship foster care in Illinois. In BerrickJ. D., BarthR., & GilbertN. (Eds.), Child welfare research review: Volume 2 (pp. 130–149). New York: Columbia University Press.
18.
CuddebackG. S. (2004). Kinship family foster care: a methodological and substantive synthesis of research.Children and Youth Services Review, 26, 623–639.
19.
DownsS.W., MooreE., McFaddenE. J., MichaudS. M., & CostinL. B. (2004). Child welfare and family services: Policies and practice (5th ed.). Boston: Peason Education, Inc.
20.
DubowitzH., FeigelmanS., HarringtonD., StarrR. H., ZuravinS., & SawyerR. (1994). Children in kinship care: How do they fare?Children and Youth Services Review, 16, 85–106.
21.
DubowitzH., FeigelmanS., & ZuravinS. (1993). A profile of kinship care. Child Welfare, 72, 153–169.
22.
DubowitzH., & SawyerR. J. (1994). School behavior of children in kinship care.Child Abuse and Neglect, 18, 899–911.
23.
DubowitzH., ZuravinS., StarrR. H., FeigelmanS., & HarringtonD. (1993). Behavior problems of children in kinship care.Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 14, 386–393.
24.
EhrleJ., & GeenR (2002). Kin and non-kin foster care—findings from a national survey.Children and Youth Services Review, 24, 15–35.
25.
EkehP. P. (1974). Social exchange theory: The two traditions. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
26.
Fuller-ThomsonE., & MinklerM. (2000). African American grandparents raising grandchildren: A national profile of demographic and health characteristics.Health and Social Work, 25, 109–118.
27.
FurstenbergF. F.Jr. & HughesM. E. (1995). Social capital and successful development among at-risk-youth.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 57, 580–592.
28.
GebelT. J. (1996). Kinship care and nonrelative family foster care: A comparison of caregiver attributes and attitudes.Child Welfare, 75, 5–18.
29.
GrantR. (2000). The special needs of children in kinship care.Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 33(3), 17–33.
30.
HardenB. J., ClymanR. B., KriebelD. K., & LyonsM. E. (2004). Kin and kin care: parental attitudes and resources of foster and relative caregivers. Children and Youth Services Review, 26, 657–671.
31.
HegarR. M. (1999). The cultural roots of kinship care. In HegarR. L. & ScannapiecoM. (Eds.), Kinship Foster Care: Policy, Practice, and Research (pp. 28–53). New York: Oxford University Press.
32.
HillR. B. (1977). Informal adoption among Black families. Washington, DC: National Urban League.
33.
HofferthS., BoisjolyJ., & DuncanG. J. (1999). The development of social capital.Rationality and Society, 11(1), 79–110.
34.
IglehartA. P. (1994). Kinship foster care: Placement, services, and outcome issues.Children and Youth Services Review, 16, 107–122.
35.
JarrettR. L. (1994). Living poor: Family life among single parent, African-American women.Social Problems, 41(1), 30–49.
36.
JarrettR. L., & BurtonL. M. (1999). Dynamic dimensions of family structure in low-income African American families: Emergent themes in qualitative research. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 30, 177–187.
37.
Lawrence-WebbC., OkundayeJ. N., & HafnerG. (2003). Education and kinship caregivers: Creating a new vision.Families in Society, 84, 135–142.
38.
Le ProhnN. S. (1994). The role of the kinship foster parent: A comparison of the role of conceptions of relative and non-relative foster parents.Children and Youth Services Review, 16, 65–84.
39.
LeslieL. K., LandsverkJ., HortonM. B., GangerW., & NewtonR. R. (2000). The heterogeneity of children and their experiences in kinship care.Child Welfare, 79, 315–334.
40.
Levi-StraussC. (1969). The elementary structures of kinship. Boston: Beacon.
41.
MartinE. P., & MartinJ. M. (1978). The Black extended family. Chicago: Chicago University Press.
42.
McNealR. B.Jr. (1999). Parental investment as social capital: Differential effectiveness on science achievement, truancy, and dropping out.Social Forces, 78, 117–144.
43.
PortesA. (1998). Social capital: Its origins and applications in modern sociology. Annual Review of Sociology, 24, 1–24.
44.
RosenhanD. L. (1978). Toward resolving the altruism paradox: Affect, self-reinforcement, and cognition. In WispeL. (Ed.), Altruism, sympathy, and helping: Psychological and sociological principles (pp. 101–113). New York: Academic Press.
45.
SabatelliR., & ShehanC (1993). Exchange and resource theories. In BossP., DohertyW., LaRossaR., SchummW., & SteinmetzS. (Eds.), Sourcebook offamily theories and methods: A contextual approach (pp. 385–411). New York: Plenum Press.
46.
SawyerR. J., & DubowitzH. (1994). School performance of children in kinship care.Child Abuse and Neglect, 18, 587–597.
47.
ScannapiecoM., HegarR. L., & McAlpineC. (1997). Kinship care and foster care: a comparison of characteristics and outcomes.Families in Society, 78, 480–488.
48.
ScannapiecoM., & JacksonS (1996). Kinship care: the African American response to family preservation.Social Work, 41, 190–196.
49.
StackC. (1974). All our kin: Strategies for survival in a black community. New York: Harper & Row.
50.
TestaM. F., & SlackK. S. (2002). The gift of kinship foster care. Children and Youth Services Review, 24, 79–108.
51.
TitmussR. M. (1971). The gift relationship: From human blood to social policy. New York: The New Press.
52.
UeharaE. (1990). Dual exchange theory, social networks, and informal social support.American Journal of Sociology, 96, 521–557.
