Getting to guardianship: Impacts of kinship guardianship subsidies on guardianship permanency for foster care-involved youth

Federal child welfare policies increasingly aim to support kinship guardianship, reflecting evidence that children placed with relatives experience better outcomes. However, estimates on the effects of kinship placement vary considerably by data quality, measurement choices, and approaches to selection bias. This study examines the impact of Title IV-E KinGAP, which offers federal financial assistance to relatives who assume legal guardianship of foster children in their care. Using linked administrative data and exploiting variation in the timing of state KinGAP enactments across the United States from 2009 to 2018, I employ event study methods to examine impacts on exit to guardianship. Results indicate that Title IV-E KinGAP did not significantly influence the likelihood of exiting foster care or exiting to a guardianship placement. These findings suggest that financial support alone may be insufficient to encourage kinship permanency and identify complementary policy opportunities to more effectively promote kinship placement and permanency for children in foster care.