This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cebc4cw.org/
This document was printed from the website of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC), which you can access at http://www.cebc4cw.org/
Type of Maltreatment: Not specified
Target Population: Grandparents and other relatives (aunts/uncles, older siblings, etc.) who are raising children because the children’s parents are unable to do so.
Brief Description:(The information in this program outline is provided by the program representative and edited by the CEBC staff.)
The Kinship Navigator Program has been reviewed by the CEBC in the area of Post-Permanency Services, but lacks the necessary research evidence to be given either a Scientific Rating or a Child Welfare Relevance Rating. The Kinship Navigator Program in Washington State is a statewide program that provides a human services worker known as a Kinship Navigator that provides services to kinship care families in a multi-county area. The role of the Kinship Navigator is to connect grandparents and relatives who are raising children with community resources, such as health, financial, legal services, support groups, training, and emergency funds. Since many kinship care families are unaware of services for which they are entitled, Kinship Navigators also explain how to apply for federal and state benefits. The Kinship Navigator services help kinship care families establish or maintain greater self-sufficiency and long-term stability needed to keep their children out of foster care.
The specialized human services worker known as the Kinship Navigator is the backbone of this Washington State program. There are 8 Kinship Navigators in Washington State that serve 30 out of 39 counties in the state. The principal duties and responsibilities for the Kinship Navigator include:
Kinship Navigator Program was not designed to be conducted in a group.
Kinship Navigator Program has not been tested for use in a group setting.
Recommended intensity: Length of contact is dependent on the needs of the grandparent or relative who is requesting help.
Recommended duration: No recommended duration of services, although follow-up is recommended.
Kinship Navigator Program does not include a homework component.
Kinship Navigator Program is typically conducted in a(n): Community Agency.
Kinship Navigator Program was not designed with a Parent Component.
Kinship Navigator Program was not designed with a Child Component.
Kinship Navigator Program was not developed for children with developmental delays.
Kinship Navigator Program has not been tested for children with developmental delays.
Kinship Navigator Program has materials available in a language other than English.
Language(s) available:
Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Laotian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese. For information on which materials are available in these languages, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (all contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).
There is a manual that describes how to implement this program.
There is not training available for Kinship Navigator Program.
The typical resources for implementing Kinship Navigator Program are: Designated staff, office space, access to phones, computer, printer, internet access, reporting system, flyers or brochures, available interpreters/translation services, printing, access to vehicle.Each of the Kinship Navigator Program sites has an annual budget of $84,999 with one full-time Kinship Navigator per site. One of our programs with a budget of $45,000 has a half-time Kinship Navigator.
Navigators should have a BA (preferably in human services or related field) or five years of related experience as a substitute. Two years paid or volunteer experience with families in kinship or foster care placements.
The Kinship Navigator Program has been reviewed and it was determined that this program lacks the type of published, peer-reviewed research that meets the CEBC criteria for scientific rating of 1 – 5 . Therefore, the program has been given the classification of "NR - Not able to be Rated. " It was reviewed because it was identified by the topic expert as a program being used in the field, or it is being marketed and/or used in California with children receiving services from child welfare or related systems and their parents/caregivers. Some programs that are not rated may have published, peer-reviewed research that does not meet the above stated criteria or may have eligible studies that have not yet been published in the peer-reviewed literature. For more information on the "NR – Not able to be Rated" classification, please see the Scientific Rating Scale.
There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies for The Kinship Navigator Program.
Triwest Group (December 2005). Casey Family Programs: Kinship Navigator pilot project replication manual. Seattle, WA.
Contact name: Hilari Hauptman
Affiliation/Agency: Aging and Disability Services Administration/Department of Social and Health Services
Email: Haupthp@dshs.wa.gov
Phone: 800-422-3263
Fax: 360-438-8633
Website: http://www.dshs.wa.gov