By Sheila Rentfrow, Kentucky Kinship Resource Center Program Manager
LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 1, 2026) – Across Kentucky, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, extended family members, and close family friends are stepping forward to care for children when their parents cannot. Sometimes they have time to prepare. Often, they do not.
One 10-minute phone call can change everything. A grandparent may suddenly be parenting again after 30 years. An aunt may be trying to remember how to enroll a child in school. A family member may be deciding whether to take custody while also worrying about finances, benefits, resources, and how this change will affect the family – the family they care for and the larger family they (and the child) are a part of.
Most kinship caregivers do not begin this journey because they planned to become parents again. They step in because a child they love needs them and because they want that child to remain connected to family.
That is why the Kentucky Kinship Resource Center (KKRC) at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) exists. The KKRC provides Kentucky’s relative and fictive kin caregivers with information, education, connection, and support—at no cost to families.
One Family, Different Needs
No two kinship families are alike, and no two family circumstances are alike. Needs can change quickly. Some caregivers need help finding a resource. Others need help understanding systems or next steps. Some want to connect with someone who has lived a similar experience, while others prefer to learn privately and at their own pace.
The KKRC offers a continuum of services designed to meet families where they are.
KY-KIN Connect serves as the front door. Kinship Navigators talk with caregivers about their family’s needs and connect them with helpful resources and services. Rather than simply providing a list of phone numbers, Navigators help families understand their options and identify next steps. Although this program works with families working with child protection services (or DCBS), this program will continue to expand in the future offering support to all of Kentucky’s families.
Through KY-KINS Peer Support, caregivers receive one-on-one support from trained Peer Support Specialists who also bring lived experience as kinship caregivers. They understand the joy of caring for family, but also the stress, uncertainty, changing relationships, and difficult decisions that can come with it. Sometimes hearing “I understand” from someone who is walking the same kinship journey can make all the difference.
For caregivers who want to connect with others, KIN-VIP Groups offer welcoming virtual spaces to share experiences, ask questions, learn about resources, or simply listen. Different group options and meeting times make it easier for caregivers to find support that fits their lives.
For those who prefer self-paced learning, the Kinship Catalogue offers educational information, training, and resources caregivers can access when it is convenient for them.
Support Without Another Expense
Taking in a child often brings new responsibilities and new expenses. That is why the KKRC services are free to Kentucky kinship caregivers.
There is no charge to work with a Kinship Navigator, participate in KY-KINS Peer Support and KIN-VIP Groups, or access the Kinship Catalogue.
Our goal is simple: remove barriers and make it easier for families to find the information, resources, education, and support they need.
Caregivers also do not have to wait until life feels overwhelming to reach out. Whether things are going well and you have questions, you are struggling to navigate a system, you want to connect with other caregivers, or you simply need reliable information, the KKRC is here. Reach out for help.
Kinship caregivers do extraordinary things every day, even though most would probably say they are simply doing what their family needs.
At the Kentucky Kinship Resource Center, our job is to make sure that when Kentucky families step up for children, someone is ready to step up for them.
The resources are here. The support is here. And it is free.
Whether family is created by birth or by bond, no caregiver should have to navigate this journey alone. We are here for you.
For more information or to get participate in KKRC programs, please visit the KKRC website.