Kin-First Blog Posts

People in a circle putting their hands together

Kin-first Systems Spotlight: Model Programs

Imagine, as a child or youth, being guided by someone you don’t know to their car, to be driven to the house of someone you don’t know. You are told this is where you will stay. When you ask how long that will be you are told “we are not sure.” When you ask when you will be able to see your family again, you are told “soon.” What comes up for you imagining this scenario? 

Happy Native American family

Kin-first Systems Spotlight: Indian Child Welfare Act is the Gold Standard for Family Finding, Engagement and Support

Introduced in 1978, the passage of the Federal and State Indian Child Welfare Acts (ICWA) marked a significant civil rights legislative achievement. Enacted as a remedial measure, the law sought to “recognize the essential tribal relations of Indian people and the cultural and social standards prevailing in Indian communities and families” [1]. The Act put pressure on the child welfare system to focus efforts on family preservation instead of family separation.

Grandfather hugging his two grandkids on the couch

Kin-first Systems Spotlight: Navigating the Waters of System Change: A Framework for Kin-first Culture

Navigating the Waters of System Change: A Framework for Kin-first Culture At the heart of our mission lies Kin-first Culture, a concept that prioritizes preserving familial bonds and community connections within the child welfare system. When children experience abuse or neglect at home, interventions must prioritize maintaining familial connections whenever possible to foster healing within the fabric of kinship networks.
A baby, being held by a woman who is embracing an older woman

Committing to a Kin-First Culture

"There is no more culturally relevant resource than family.”  Read about what it means to commit to a kin-first culture and meet the CFE Advisory Committee.
Butterflies in flight

California Department of Social Services and UC Davis Partner to Launch Center for Excellence in Family Finding, Engagement and Support

Youth in California’s foster care system will soon have a new statewide resource to help keep them connected to family – one of the goals of California’s foster care system.

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) are launching the Center for Excellence in Family Finding, Engagement and Support (Center) to support county child welfare agency efforts to keep youth linked with their family members.