What are Kinship Navigator Programs?

More than 2.5 million children currently are being raised by their grandparents and other relatives, both formally through the child welfare system and informally through private family arrangements. When these caregivers take on this responsibility, they often receive little to no financial support or advice regarding how to navigate the many systems that they might need to access to help them meet the needs of the children in their care. Kinship navigator programs help fill that gap by providing caregivers with information, education, and referrals to a wide range of services and supports. This brief provides information about the essential elements of kinship navigator programs, including examples in Richland County (Ohio), Florida, New York, and Georgia, along with evaluation outcomes of these programs.