Sustaining Critical Support Services for Relative Caregivers Through the Covid-19 Pandemic and BEYOND

This practice brief outlines model practice strategies for building and sustaining critical support services for kinship caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. While the long-term impacts of COVID-19 were still unfolding, research increasingly showed the profound effect the pandemic had on family well-being worldwide. Already managing the trauma that necessitated the placement of most children, kinship families faced additional challenges, including the fear and uncertainty surrounding health risks and the complete upheaval of community resources as schools, state offices, and social service agencies limited or closed their operations. This led to unprecedented levels of economic, housing, transportation, and food insecurities. The article highlights the critical role of marketing, engagement, and supportive service strategies providers might employ to promote the well-being of kinship families. The authors also acknowledge that outreach efforts may vary across the country due to factors such as geographic location (rural vs. urban), community culture, and economic conditions.