ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the common strengths, challenges and limitations identified in the published literature on kinship care. It discusses the prevalence and types of kinship care, followed by safety and quality of kinship care arrangements, outcomes for children and young people, caregivers and families, and involvement of parents. The chapter also discusses inequality and social justice concerns, and ends with implications for policy, practice and future research. Census data in several countries identify the relationship of the head of household to the child, providing some information on the prevalence of kinship care. Most kinship care arrangements are informal, meaning they generally occur without the oversight and outside of the legal responsibility, regulation and control of the child protection system. Informal kinship care arrangements are common among all populations, but are even more traditional and customary for some cultural groups. Some question whether government regulation of kinship care arrangements is necessary to ensure safety and quality of care.
