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In the U.S., approximately 2.5 million children are being raised by grandparents or other kin. (AECF)

Those working in child welfare often talk about the “system,” but we know real work happens in living rooms, at kitchen tables, and in the quiet moments of stability provided by kin. When a crisis hits a family, grandparents are often the first to answer the call. However, stepping into the role of a “grandparent caregiver” is a monumental shift that comes with unique challenges that need to be addressed, validated, and supported.

Grandparents stepping up as primary caregivers (often referred to as “Grandfamilies” or “Kinship Care”) are the unsung heroes of permanency goals. Grandfamilies aren’t simply a “placement” for a child—it’s preservation of that child’s history, culture, and sense of belonging.

Grandfamilies are not a “niche” demographic either. More and more children are being raised by grandparents when parents are absent or unable to care. According to data provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Generations United, and Child Trends:

  • Approximately 2.5 million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents or other kin without parents present in the home. Of those, more than 131,000 children in the formal foster care system (approx. 30%). 
  • At the state level, the figure ranges from 2% in Massachusetts to 56% in Vermont, largely due to differences in state-level kinship care practices and policies.
  • California has the highest number of grandfamilies in the nation. Current estimates show that 238,000 grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren.
  • Without grandfamilies, the foster care system would require $10.5 billion in additional funding each year and thousands more traditional foster homes. 
  • In 2025, 48% of grandparent caregivers had been responsible for their grandchildren for 5+ years. 

While grandparents bring a lifetime of wisdom to the caregiver role, they face obstacles that traditional foster parents or younger birth parents might not, such as financial strain (18% live below the poverty line), legal complexities, physical and mental health challenges, and social isolation. But when grandfamilies receive the support they need, children thrive. Children raised by kin, when adequately supported, fare better academically, emotionally, and socially than those in non-relative foster care. (Generations United)

If you are currently supporting a new grandfamily, this post provides referrals and resources to ensure successful outcomes for grandparent caregivers and their grandchildren. 

Resources for Providers & Grandfamilies

California Training Institute (CalTrin)

Hey, that’s us! Access recordings and materials from prior CalTrin trainings that can support grandparents in navigating their role as primary caregiver to a child(ren) who has experienced trauma, as well as for providers working with grandfamilies from diverse backgrounds. Keep an eye on the calendar for upcoming webinars and workshops, and also explore our relevant resource collections:  

Note: You will need to log in to your CalTrin account to access the self-paced courses and select archived training materials. You can create a free account here.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation

The Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF®)’s work focuses on strengthening families, building stronger communities and ensuring access to opportunity, because children, youth and young adults need all three to succeed.

Explore the AECF’s Kinship Care topic area, which includes a searchable database of resources and content designed to support grandfamilies and other kinship care arrangements. Get started with these resources:

California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC)

Our partner project, the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), promotes the effective implementation of evidence-based practices for children and families involved with the child welfare system. Explore the CEBC’s Kinship Caregiver Support Programstopic area, highlighting programs that support the needs of kinship caregivers, such as training and education, financial services, and support groups. Download the topic area summary here. Another great resource from the CEBC is this Financial Support for Kinship Care overview.

Casey Family Programs

Casey Family Programs is the nation’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care in the United States. Our mission is to provide and improve — and ultimately prevent the need for — foster care.

Casey Family Program’s Kinship Care topic page features a wide range of resources, including research reports, policy resources, practical tools, Q&As from the field, and more. The following are a few featured resources to get started:

Child Trends

Child Trends is the leading research organization in the United States focused solely on improving the lives of children, youth, and families. Explore research-driven tools and resources to support kinship care and grandfamilies, specifically, within Child Trends’ Child Welfare, Families, and Population-Focused topic and subtopic areas.

Below are a few resources we pulled from each of the above-mentioned topic areas to get started:

To learn more about kinship caregiving in your state, visit the Child Welfare Data Interactive, a one-of-a-kind data tool that allows users to examine state and national child welfare data.

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Child Welfare Information Gateway is your connection to trusted resources on the child welfare continuum. The Information Gateway provides publications, research, and learning tools selected by experts to support thriving children, youth, families, and communities.

Within the Information Gateway’s Kinship Care topic area, you will find tools and resources to support your work with grandfamilies and other kinship caregivers.

Grandfamilies.org

Grandfamilies.org is a national resource in support of grandfamilies within and outside the child welfare system. The interactive website features federal and state laws and policies, national reports and data, tools to create a kin-first culture, and resources for caregivers and professionals:

In 2017, the wikiHow for Creating a Kin-First Culture was developed based on input gathered from a convening of nine jurisdictions, as well as several key national kinship organizations. This tool was created to foster the development of a kin-first culture, defined as a child welfare system that consistently promotes kinship placement, helps children in foster care maintain connections with their family, and tailors services and supports for kinship foster families. 

Grandfamilies.org hosts the Creating a Kin-First Culture tool overview and supporting materials on its website. Visiting the landing page here. 

The Grandfamilies.org website also hosts GrandFacts fact sheets, created (and updated) in partnership with the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network. These living documents for grandfamilies include data and programs as well as information about public benefits, educational assistance, legal relationship options, and laws for each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and several tribes. GrandFacts are also available in Spanish.

Generations United

The mission of Generations United (GU) is to improve the lives of children, youth, and older people through intergenerational collaboration, public policies, and programs for the enduring benefit of all. GU offers resources, toolkits, and advocacy for grandfamilies in collaboration with national partners through two initiatives:

National Center on Grandfamilies: The National Center (Center) on Grandfamilies works to enact policies and promote programs to help grandfamilies and kinship families address challenges. The Center is a leading voice for families headed by grandparents, other relatives, and close family friends. Download the Center’s one-pager here.

The Center’s work is guided by the GRAND Voices initiative, a national network of grandfamily caregiver advocates.

Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: The Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network (Network) is the only national technical assistance center for those who serve grandfamilies and kinship families. The Network exists, free of charge, to help government agencies and community and faith-based organizations in states, Tribes, and territories collaborate and work across jurisdictional and systemic boundaries—all to improve supports and services for grandfamilies and kinship families. View the website in Spanish here.

Browse the Network’s extensive Resource Library, including programs that have earned the Exemplary designation. Check out the following featured resources to get started:

Access additional resources via Generations United’s Resource Library, including:

ZERO TO THREE

ZERO TO THREE uses early childhood development research to create meaningful resources for families, professionals, and policymakers who shape the lives of young children.

ZERO TO THREE’s website offers a suite of resources for professionals and families that include the latest information, tools, and best practices to help support caregivers across the generations. Explore The Grand Connector: Grandparent Resources here, featuring:

Additional Tools & Resources

Administration for Children & Families: Kinship Brief 2026: States Increasingly Promote Kinship Care, Though Significant Opportunity Remains for Improving Licensing, Definitions, and Reach: Nearly Two-Thirds of Jurisdictions Have Not Amended Title IV-E Plans to Adopt Separate Licensing Standards

American Society on Aging: Grandparents as Caregivers: A Changing Demographic with Unique Support Needs

Capacity Building Center for Tribes: Engaging and Supporting Native Grandfamilies

Center for Excellence:

GovFacts: Navigating Support for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in the U.S.

National Council for Adoption: Resources for Grandfamilies (PDF)

  • Includes links to Toolkits, Trainings, and Services & Supports for both grandfamilies and professionals working with grandfamilies.

Parents Helping Parents: Raising Grandchildren: Support and Resources for Grandparent Caregivers

UC Davis: 

 

Mark Your Calendars! September is National Kinship Care Month

Each September, National Kinship Care Month celebrates family members and fictive kin who provide kinship care for children and youth. Additionally, National Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day—and it’s a perfect opportunity to recognize the importance of grandfamilies in kinship care.

Visit the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Networks’ National Kinship Care Month page for messaging, social media assets, and more!

 

*Last updated May 11, 2026

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