Licensing is important to consider when thinking about providing support for children in foster care, particularly in the context of kinship foster care. In order for a state to draw down federal funds for a foster home, it must be licensed, and that includes kinship placements.
This state reviewed the home licensing practices of thirteen states, with a particular eye on the inclusion of relative caregivers. In a number of states, the report said, the stated policy for supporting relatives is much better than what actually happens in most cases.
Click here to read the report.