Chapin Hall

The Issue

Children placed with relatives and kin experience greater placement stability and well-being, yet many state licensing standards can create barriers to these placements. Strict licensing requirements can prevent kin from becoming licensed foster parents—resulting in less financial support for families and fewer children being placed in safe, nurturing homes with people they know. 

In response, a new federal rule from the Administration for Children and Families now allows Title IV-E agencies to create separate licensing or approval standards for kinship caregivers. These standards can reduce unnecessary barriers and support access to foster care maintenance payments that help families meet the unique demands of kinship care.  

The Evidence

Research shows children in kinship care have better behavioral and mental health outcomes, increased placement stability, and stronger family connections than peers in non-relative foster care; however, outdated policies often exclude kin from receiving the same support as licensed foster parents. 

The 2023 ACF rule change gives agencies flexibility to align licensing standards with federal safety requirements (primarily background checks) while removing other burdensome conditions. Early evidence indicates these kin-specific licensing standards can increase kin placements, improve financial support, and accelerate access to federal reimbursement and guardianship assistance. 

The Way Forward

Chapin Hall created a phased framework to help agencies implement kin-specific licensing standards. The three phases are:

1. Planning and Readiness: Define your vision, engage stakeholders with lived expertise, and assess fiscal and legal considerations. Agencies should review existing standards and identify how kinship families can be better served.
2. Implementation and Change Management: Establish a diverse implementation team. Make key decisions about assessments, training, safety standards, and outreach. Update policies and systems to reflect new standards and ensure kin have the support to meet requirements.
3. Evaluating and Improving Quality: Use data to track licensing outcomes, assess access levels, and guide continuous improvement. Agencies should monitor implementation through feedback loops, performance data, and regular policy reviews.

This resource supports agencies at every stage, whether initiating, refining, or scaling up kin-specific licensing policies. It also provides detailed guidance on team protocols, partner engagement, communication, and data tracking to ensure long-term success.

Contact Us

Chapin Hall experts are available to support your agency’s efforts to adopt or improve kin-specific licensing standards. For more information, contact Margaret Smith.

Read the brief