Relatives and family friends who step up when struggling parents can’t care for their children play an essential role in keeping countless kids out of foster care.
In New York, hundreds of these caregivers receive monthly financial payments that amount to thousands of dollars a year, through the state’s Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP). But here and across the nation, the money is still tight, and not everyone who takes in foster children qualifies.
Following legislation signed this week by Gov. Kathy Hochul, that will change for some eligible caregivers who are providing permanent homes for children who could otherwise be left in limbo. The legislation took effect Wednesday.