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 a Scientific Rating.

• Types of Maltreatment: Does not target any specific kind of maltreatment
• 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.

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:

• Providing information and assistance functions, along with supportive listening, to grandparents and relatives of all ages who are raising children or planning to do so.
• Actively reaching out and locating kinship care families in their service area, particularly identifying those not involved in support group networks and/or in need of additional services. Special attention should be focused on serving relatives from geographically isolated and ethnic communities.
• Providing follow-up with kinship caregivers.
• Developing strong collaborative working relationships with groups and agencies that work with kinship caregivers.
• Educating the community; including service providers and faith-based organizations about the needs of kinship care families and available resources and services to them.
• Pro-actively mediating with state agency staff and/or service providers to make sure individual caregivers receive services for which they are eligible.
• Assisting in establishing stable, respectful relationships between kinship caregivers and DSHS local office staff; including Division of Children and Family Services, Community Services Offices, as well as other agencies such as the Area Agencies on Aging and the Office of Education Ombudsman.
• Collecting necessary program and service data and ensure that reports are completed in an accurate manner and on a timely basis. Information will include such items such as resources requested and persons served, the needs of kinship caregivers and their satisfaction with the assistance provided, and the identification of gaps and barriers to services.
• Having information about relevant federal and state benefits, as well as local resources:
• Adoption support
• Aging and family caregiver support programs
• Alcohol and substance abuse services
• Benefits CheckUp/Benefits Quicklink
• Child care and crisis nurseries
• Child support services
• Child welfare/Child Protective Services
• Community health clinics
• Crisis clinics
• Developmental disabilities services
• Education advocacy services
• Early childhood education programs
• Early intervention programs for children with special needs
• Food assistance programs
• Health clinics
• Housing options and assistance programs
• Information and referral helplines; e.g. 211, Sr. Information and Assistance
• Kinship care organizations; local, state and national kinship care organizations
• Kinship caregiver support groups
• Legal services and resources
• Medical assistance
• Mental health
• Respite care programs
• Social Security benefits
• Special education programs and resources
• Special services for children and families of incarcerated parents
• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) and Child Only Grants
• Training on child development and parenting skills
• Tribal services
• Youth services

Kinship Navigator Program was not designed with a child component.

Kinship Navigator Program was not designed with a parent/caregiver component.

Kinship Navigator Program was not designed to be conducted in a group setting, and 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.

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community Agency

This program does not include a homework component.

Kinship Navigator Program has materials available in languages other than English:

Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Laotian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese

For information on which materials are available in these languages, please check on the program's website or contact the program representative (contact information is listed at the bottom of this page).

The typical resources for implementing the 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.

There is a manual that describes how to implement this program; but there is not training available for this program.

This 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 a 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.

Child Welfare Outcomes: Not Specified

Currently, there are no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Kinship Navigator Program.