This chapter examines kinship care as a central feature of child welfare systems in five high-income countries, reflecting a shared recognition of the importance of family and cultural continuity for children separated from their parents. Policies and practices around kinship care vary widely across national contexts, shaped by cultural values, legal frameworks, and welfare infrastructures. The chapter synthesizes research findings from countries representing diverse welfare and governance contexts, including federal and locally governed systems, universal welfare models, family-oriented contexts, and distinct historical and cultural settings (e.g., the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Sweden, and South Korea) to examine how kinship care is defined, regulated, and supported. Key dimensions of analysis include eligibility and placement criteria, financial and social support for kin caregivers, children’s permanency outcomes, and the role of extended families in decision-making. The comparative review highlights both convergences, such as the increasing prioritization of kin placements over institutional care, and divergences, such as the extent of state intervention versus reliance on informal family networks.
By situating kinship care within a cross-national framework, the chapter contributes to international debates on how child welfare systems can better align reliance on family-based care with adequate institutional support while safeguarding children’s rights to safety, cultural continuity, and family connection.