Kinship care refers to the full-time care and nurturing of a child by a relative or someone with a significant emotional bond with the child, such as a close family friend. This arrangement allows children to stay with people who know and love them when their parents are unable to provide care.
Kinship care can be categorized as either informal or formal. Informal kinship care involves arrangements made directly between parents and family members without court involvement. In contrast, formal kinship care occurs when a child is placed with a relative through the legal system or a child welfare agency. The Kinship Navigator program is designed to support families in both types of situations. We are serving the areas of Lynchburg City, Amherst County, Bedford County, Appomattox County, and Campbell County.
The Kinship Navigator program focuses on various areas, including providing information, education, referrals to resources, advocacy, and urgent funding. Its goal is to strengthen caregivers' ability to create a safe and stable home while helping children find permanent connections with the people who love them. All services offered are free of charge.
Information and referrals
Benefits and financial assistance
Legal & custody information
Support groups & training
Advocacy & case management
Urgent funding
Everyday family support
Eligibility
The Kinship Navigator program is open to anyone who is raising a child that is not biologically their own, including grandparents, other relatives, and family friends.
The program supports:
Grandparents raising their grandchildren
Relatives caring for a family member's child
Family friends who are acting as full-time caregivers
Participation in the program is free of charge; there are no costs associated with any of the services offered. You do not need a formal custody agreement to seek assistance. Whether your caregiving arrangement was made informally within the family or through a court or child welfare agency, the program is available to support you.
Make a referral
Are you, or someone you know, raising a relative's or friend's child? If so, please share your contact information, and a kinship specialist will reach out to you.
We can accomplish this in a few simple steps:
This content is sourced from
City of Lynchburg
. It reflects the author's views and has not been edited by our newsroom. It may have been generated using AI assistance.
