What makes these grandfamilies unique is that unlike parent-headed homes, these caretakers step in with no automatic legal rights and responsibilities for the children

Power Station

It often begins with a knock at the door in the middle of the night. A child, or multiple children, need immediate care. Their parents have been deployed, incarcerated, are sidelined by substance abuse or mental illness. This is when grandparents, other relatives and family friends step up at a critical moment. These adults, who take on caregiving for conservatively, 2.5 million children in America, have no legal standing. They are not legal guardians or adopters. And there is no single entity that funds, studies, or resources these families. There is, however, extensive data on the outcomes of children who stay within their families versus navigating the cultural and emotional dislocation of traditional foster care. On this episode of Power Station, Ana Beltran, a consummate changemaker, introduces us to Grandfamilies and Kinship Support Center, the nonprofit she leads. The Center provides technical assistance to individuals, government agencies and nonprofits that serve grandfamilies, tackling challenges, from enrolling children in school when no parent is present, to filing for Child Tax Credits. She notes that federal policymaking is catching up to the moment. U.S. HUD is accepting proposals now for grandfamilies-oriented affordable housing. A community to support and celebrate.