ABSTRACT

Around the globe, increasing attention is focused on children who are raised by kin when their parents are unable or unwilling to care for them. This chapter examines the common strengths, challenges and limitations identified in the published literature on kinship care. I begin with a discussion of the prevalence and types of kinship care, followed by safety and quality of kinship care arrangements, outcomes for children, caregivers and families, and involvement of parents. Next, I discuss inequality and social justice concerns, and end with implications for policy, practice and future research.