Kinship Resource Parent

If the child needs to enter foster care, you may still be able to care for them by becoming an approved kinship foster parent. In this situation, the local department of social services has legal custody of the child, but the child lives with you. As a kinship foster parent, you receive monthly financial support to help meet the child’s needs.

Kinship Waiver Approval Process

The Kinship Waiver lets a child stay with relatives or close family friends right away once basic safety checks are completed. Families then have up to six months to finish the full approval process. This helps children stay connected to people they know while still meeting all safety and legal rules:

1. Discovery & Notification
   • Local Departments of Social Services (LDSS) look for relatives or close family friends who might be able to care for the child.
   • If someone is interested, they receive the Kinship Foster Parent Approval Process Letter within 15 days.

2. Initial Assessment
   • LDSS uses the Permanency Assessment Tool (PAT) to work with families, learn about their strengths, and find out what support they may need.
   • The main focus is the child’s safety, permanency, and well‑being.

3. Immediate Placement (Pre-Approval)
   • Before placement, LDSS completes:
     1. A home visit using the Physical Home Environment Checklist
     2. Virginia State Police name search on all adults in the home
     3. CPS Central Registry search
     4. If there are no barrier crimes, no CPS findings, and no safety concerns, the child may be placed right away under the Kinship Waiver

4. Post-Placement Requirements (Within 72 Hours)
   • All adults in the home must complete fingerprinting for FBI criminal checks and sex offender registry checks.
   • LDSS sends requests for CPS Central Registry checks, including checks for any state the adults lived in during the past 5 years.

5. Full Approval Process
   • Families must complete:
     1. Home Study/Mutual Family Assessment (MFA)
     2. Physical exams and TB screenings (these may be waived for up to 6 months)
     3. Additional paperwork, background checks, and sworn statements
     4. Once everything is completed, LDSS gives a Certificate of Approval (COA) that is valid for 36 months.

6. Ongoing Support
   • LDSS provides training, support, and teamwork to help kinship placements stay strong.
   • Families may receive waivers for some non‑safety requirements, such as space or furniture needs. Safety‑related rules cannot be waived.

If you want to become a kinship caregiver, or if you have a child, you would like a family member or close family friend to care for, contact your  local department of social services.