The State of Grandfamilies in America 2015 identifies key state laws and policies designed to address barriers and to better support grandparents and other relatives raising children. The report finds that almost 65% of children in grandfamilies (or kinship care) live in states that have enacted only half or fewer of the key laws and policies that could support them. The report found that California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington met Generations United’s criteria for having grandfamily-friendly laws and policies. The report offers recommendations to help guide the development of supportive federal and state policies and services for grandfamilies. These recommendations include: prioritizing and empowering relatives to make informed decisions; providing access to preventative services to relatives outside of the formal foster care system; ensuring adequate supports to keep children with relatives; and promoting tailored services for the unique needs of grandfamilies.
