Edgewood Kinship Support Network

Kinship caregivers

The Edgewood Kinship Support Network is designed to support kinship caregivers in an effort to keep the children in their care or reunited with a biological parent and to relieve the burden of the formal foster care system.

The network offers comprehensive services to support kinship families including:

• Case management
• Caregiver support groups in multiple languages located throughout San Francisco and San Mateo Counties
• Parenting and educational workshops
• Food and supplies
• Independent living skills and classes
• Family activities and celebrations
• Wellness activities for caregivers (mindfulness, stress reduction, harm reduction)
• Referrals to Edgewood's Outpatient Mental Health Services program
• A comprehensive, website (www.iKinship.org) updated regularly with information for kinship families inside of San Francisco County

Hope Ivory

• Website: https://edgewood.org/kinship-support/
• Email: hopei@edgewood.org
• Phone: (415) 725-0765

Publicly available information indicates there is some training available for this program. See contact info.

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

"What is included in the Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research section?"

• Note: The following study was not included in rating Edgewood Kinship Support Network on the Scientific Rating Scale.

  Cohon, D., Hines, L., Cooper, B., Packman, W., & Siggins, E. (2005). A preliminary study of an intervention with kin caregivers. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 1(3), 49–72. https://doi.org/10.1300/J194v01n03_05

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to examine findings from a sample of female kinship caregivers who all received Edgewood Kinship Support Network services, a case-managed supportive services intervention. Participants were referred by child welfare workers to the Edgewood Kinship Support Network program. Measures utilized include an adapted version of the Family Needs Scale, the SF-36 Health Survey, and a satisfaction with social support measure. Results indicate that Edgewood Kinship Support Network participants had decreased family needs following the Edgewood Kinship Support Network program. Limitations include the lack of a control group, the lack of randomization, missing data, and study attrition leading to small samples at the follow-up timepoints. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.

• Note: The following study was not included in rating Edgewood Kinship Support Network on the Scientific Rating Scale.

  Cohon, D., Hines, L., Cooper, B., Packman, W., & Siggins, E. (2005). Preserving family: Themes from a qualitative study of kin caregivers. Journal of Family Strengths, 8(1), 43–63. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/46719074.pdf

  Summary:

  The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of two similar groups of African American female kin caregivers, one receiving private services from Edgewood’s Kinship Support Network (KSN) and one receiving public services at the San Francisco Department of Human Services’ (DHS). Measures utilized include demographic questionnaires which collected information on drug use. Results indicate that responses highlight three primary reasons for becoming caregivers that center on providing for these children, protecting these children (particularly from the perceived threat of the public foster care system), and ultimately preserving the family unit. Limitations include lack of randomization, lack of a control group, and findings may not be generalized due to ethnicity and gender. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to the lack of a control group.

• Cohon, D., & Cooper, B. A. (1999). Edgewood's Kinship Support Network: Program model and client characteristics, Children and Youth Services Review, 21(4), 331-338.

• Cohon, D., Hines, L., Cooper, B., Packman, W., & Siggins, E. (2003). A preliminary study of an intervention with kin caregivers. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 1(3), 49-72.