Family members and friends who take on unexpected parental responsibilities as kinship families can have their income struggles alleviated with increased access to, and an awareness of, government and community programs.
That is the message presented by Utah Kids Count, a state organization that promotes the care of disadvantaged children.
The number of Utah children in kinship families has remained rather steady over the years, Utah Kids Count Director Terry Haven said.
About 15,000 children in Utah, or roughly 2 percent, are being raised by grandparents or other relatives, according to a recent national study. Nationally, the figure is 2.7 million children.
But of those 15,000 Utah kids in the care of kinship families, Haven said, about 60 percent of the care providers may not be getting all the benefits they deserve. Standard Examiner
