ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the historical development of kinship foster care in New York State, as well as the demographics of the kinship foster care population and their relative caretakers. It considers some of the youngsters who have had the experience of living with relative caretakers and hear their perspective on the subject. Enculturation implies a process of service provision in which the cultural perspective of the consumer serves as the fundamental frame of reference. An approach rooted in enculturation, however, promotes a culturally relevant and non-deficit perspective in the design and delivery of the service. The New York State Office of Children and Family Services regulations about supervision of parental visitation apply to kinship foster homes just as they do to traditional foster homes. The dramatic rise in the number of kinship homes reflects an expeditious, short-term, reaction to a systemic crisis brought on by crack addiction, AIDS and poverty.
