Informal kinship caregivers’ parenting experience

The study explored parenting experiences of informal kinship caregivers who were not currently involved with the public child welfare system. Forty-one informal kinship caregivers participated in an anonymous survey that inquired about their demographic information and parenting experiences. The majority of participants were African American grandmothers in their 50s with a high school diploma and annual household income below $50,000. Approximately 70% of the participants had legal custody of a related child in their care, and were committed to providing a long-term or permanent placement for the child. While financial hardship was the most common challenge participants reported, only 37% of them received governmental assistance. Other challenges included children’s medical and mental health issues, and childcare. Despite these challenges, the majority of participants (82.9%) perceived their kinship caregiving experience as positive or very positive. Forty-two percent of participants acknowledged the bidirectional nature of their relationship with related children. Another positive experience noted was children’s growth and safety. These findings illustrate both common and diverse parenting experiences of informal kinship caregivers. They also highlight limited resources available and accessible for this population. The implications of the study findings are discussed.