ABSTRACT
Growing up with relatives has undergone comprehensive changes over a relatively short period of time. The institutionalisation of kinship care as an intervention and a category of foster care means that kinship care is now equal to non-kinship care in social welfare policy and law. What was previously a private arrangement has been transformed into a state intervention where children and adults must relate to and be treated on the basis of the same guidelines as for non-kinship care families. Prior to the changes in the legislation in 2004, the CWS were to some extent resistant to placing children in their own families or networks. Reasons for this included concern about negative social inheritance and presumptions that the best interests of the child would not be sufficiently safeguarded. The obligation of the CWS to investigate whether foster care is available in the child’s family or network was prescribed by law in 2018. Briefly summarised, instead of being perceived as risk, perceptions of family and networks have changed and are now regarded as a resource for the child.
