Kinship Support Hotline launched

Officials say kinship care, the care of children by relatives or close family friends, is coordinated by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ Department for Community Based Services.

Kinship care can be an alternative to out-of-home care, in cases where children cannot stay in their home due to abuse, neglect, or dependency issues, authorities say. Sending them to relatives or family friends can help reduce the trauma of leaving their birth parents while providing a nurturing and safe environment with caretakers who the children find familiar.

The hotline shows DCBS’ strengthening support of families, said Kentucky Youth Advocates’ Executive Director Terry Brooks.

“DCBS’ new Kinship Support Hotline gives grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives an important resource that will ultimately benefit the relative children they care for,” he said. “Kinship care is vital as we ensure that every Kentucky kid has a family, and this new tool provides support for relatives who are parenting again.”

Active between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, the hotline is managed by DCBS staff in Frankfort, and officials say that care giving relatives can also email DCBSChildProtection@ky.gov for more information or resources.

The Kinship Support Hotline is 877-565-5608