Grandparents, Relatives & Kinship Caregivers

Relative providers are often called upon by surprise, must rise to challenges they never anticipated, and can be credited with preserving the livelihood, culture and identities of thousands of children, both state and nationwide. Oregon DHS embraces a Kin-First culture. Grandparents, elders, relative providers and kin who step up to care for kids, our hats go off and our hearts go out to you, time & time again. We can't thank you enough for what you do! Please reference our Adoptee & Foster Voices, Incarceration, Navigating Birth Family Relationships, Parent Self Care and Single Parenting pages for more resources.

"You can hate me all you want...I'm going to love you right through it." ~Gigi, wise great grandparent kinship provider speaking to her foster grandson

Oregon Specific Resources

Intergenerational Housing

National Resources

Culturally Specific

Recommended Books & Articles

Kinship Care Related Materials in ORPARC's library and DIGITAL library, including two packets developed by ORPARC: 1) Kinship Care: You Can Do This! and 2) The Key to Kincare is You plus A Grandparent’s and Other Relative’s Guide to Raising Children with Disabilities developed by Generations United

Videos & Podcasts

We have many library books honoring kin!

All Around Us & en español by Xelena Gonzalez


My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom (Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) & Steph Littlebird (Grande Ronde)

A Grandfamily for Sullivan: Coping Skills for Kinship Care Families by Beth Tyson

And That's Their Family by Kailee Coleman


The Key to Kincare is You! by ORPARC & en español


The Blue Roses by Linda Boyden (United Lumbee Nation)

I Call My Grandparents "Mom & Dad" by Carilyn Rouyer


Drawn Together by Minh Lê

I Call My Grandma "Mom" by Carilyn F Rouyer


Courageous Love by Laura Montané Bailey


Grandma's Tiny House by JaNay Brown-Wood