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Love Makes a Family: Kathy’s Kinship Care Journey 

Kathy knows firsthand the vital importance of kinship care. Though she never imagined becoming a parent overnight, when her cousin’s infant daughter needed a safe and loving home, Kathy didn’t hesitate.  

Raised by her grandparents and later placed in foster care herself, Kathy knows how critical it is for a child to grow up in a stable and supportive family. Now, with help from The Buckeye Ranch’s Child Welfare Services, Kathy is working to provide just that for her cousin on the path to adoption. 

The Road to Kinship Care 

Kathy’s life took a difficult turn at 14. After losing her grandparents, who raised her as her caregivers and taught her the importance of family and community, Kathy was placed in foster care. For several years Kathy navigated the foster care system and faced many challenges, struggling to find a sense of belonging, “Everyone should have some source of steady family – even if it isn’t biological. I didn’t have that when I was going through foster care. It was hard for me during that time because I couldn’t lean on my foster family the way I needed. They were strangers to me,” Kathy shares. 

So, when she was notified by a family member that her cousin’s infant daughter was placed in foster care – Kathy stepped up immediately. Through her strong belief in keeping family together and lessons from her own experiences, Kathy understood the importance of kinship care and was determined to provide the child with a loving, stable home.  

Navigating Challenges with Support of Community 

Kathy’s journey as a kinship caregiver has not been without difficulties. “I’m not going to lie; it was tough at first!” Kathy recalls. Her cousin was only four and a half months old when Kathy opened up her home to her as a kinship caregiver, and motherhood was a new experience for Kathy. She shares, “She wasn’t on a schedule; when she was placed with me, she had a diaper and a bottle with her –  that was it. I don’t have any biological children, so it was challenging for me to suddenly have an infant child to care for overnight.” 

Kathy realized she needed help. Thankfully, a trusted friend was able to support her with childcare while Kathy was at work and helped tremendously in getting her cousin settled into a schedule. It was her chosen family that rallied to provide her and the child with the support and resources they needed in those early days, “Family consists of the people that we chose, and not just the people we’re related to,” she explains. There were still sleepless nights and moments of doubt, but with this support from her close-knit family and friends, Kathy persevered. 

Path to Permanency with The Buckeye Ranch 

After raising her cousin for four years, Kathy knew it was time to pursue permanency through adoption. This ultimately led Kathy to being connected with The Buckeye Ranch’s Child Welfare Services to complete her home assessment and approval process. Members of our Foster Care team work with families to complete their home assessment while providing resources and support throughout the often-challenging process. 

The Buckeye Ranch’s Foster Care team works to meet the unique needs of every child placed in care, working with families to secure kinship placements whenever safe, providing resources for navigating the complex system, and when it is best for the child, supporting kinship adoption. 

Home assessment is required for kinship caregivers in Ohio and one of the processes The Buckeye Ranch Foster Care team is equipped to assist families with. The kinship home assessment includes at least one home visit and interview, criminal background checks, child abuse and neglect checks, as well as a basic safety check of the home  

The process is intensive by design to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children in kinship care, but it can be intimidating and overwhelming for those navigating it. Thankfully, Kathy was connected with Susan at The Buckeye Ranch to help her through it. 

Trusting the Kinship Care Process 

At first, the process was really challenging for Kathy, as she struggled with opening to Susan. Kathy was surprised to discover that the process resurfaced a lot of past traumas for her, but through it all, Susan was there. “I don’t think Susan knows this, but she really helped me get through things from my past,” Kathy confides. “Foster Care was tough for me. I hadn’t talked about that time since I was a kid. It was tough bringing those things up again. Susan really helped me to open and move past those things.”  

 Susan was a major source of help and motivation for Kathy throughout the assessment journey. “There were moments when I felt like giving up and Susan always reminded me to take it one day at a time.” Now, on the other side of the process, Kathy sees the value in its complexity to keep the kids safe. 

A Home Full of Love 

With the home assessment process complete, Kathy and her cousin are awaiting adoption finalization! In the meantime, the pair are highly engaged in their community, enjoying a full schedule of family fun with frequent visits from neighborhood kids that the child lovingly refers to as ‘her siblings.’  

Kathy recalls that her grandmother’s home was always open to others, fostering a sense of community that Kathy now carries on in her own life. Inspired by this legacy, Kathy’s home has become a safe haven for neighborhood kids, a place where they know they are welcome and loved. Whether it’s organizing group trips to amusement parks or simply being there to listen, Kathy embraces every child who walks through her door as her own, just as her grandmother did.  

Looking Towards the Future 

Her cousin, now four years old, is thriving in this loving home. Kathy describes her as a bright, curious, and funny child who loves to play with other kids and ask questions about the people in her life. Kathy wants her cousin to know where she comes from and never shies away from tough conversations, “If we talk it out, that’s how we’ll figure it out. Conversations have to be had,” Kathy shares. When she brings a tough question to her, she often begins with an open, “What would you like to know?” 

What Kathy would most like others to know, is that kinship care comes with real challenges, and that leaning into your support system, chosen or biological, is critical, “You need to have that support system in place. Kinship is not easy, but it is worth it. Love makes it possible.”

Kathy’s journey serves as a powerful testament to the life-changing importance of kinship care. Because of kinship care, and the love and dedication of Kathy, her cousin can grow up in a safe and familiar environment connected to the people that love her most. As they move towards adoption finalization, we are confident that their future will be filled with wonderful memories. 

If you would like to learn more about the importance of kinship care, The Buckeye Ranch is here to support your journey. Reach out to the Foster Care team to learn more about how we can support you. If you’re not ready to explore kinship or foster care, there are still ways you can support! You can also make a life-changing contribution in support of families like Kathy and her cousin, today.