Kinship families are part of all communities across California and kinship caregivers provide essential care and nurturing for their kinship children. Kinship families offer a tremendous opportunity for vulnerable children and youth to join a part of their extended family, when their immediate family is unable to care for them. United Ways of California’s new KinshipCareCA.org is a free, one-stop navigator to meet the immediate needs of kinship caregivers and foster parents, helping you locate nearby resources, access benefits, and/or receive general support via its online search feature and dedicated team of highly trained call specialists. The website is aimed to increase the your capacity to provide safe, stable, and nurturing homes for the children in your care. 

Kinship caregivers open their hearts and homes to a relative’s child. Approximately half of California’s 59,156 foster children are living with extended family members or other relatives. Studies have shown that kinship foster care can lead to better emotional health, fewer placements, and better outcomes. Offering these tools and kinds of support makes for stronger families all-around.

We’ve put search front and center to help you find local resources and services. You can also browse online information directly by clicking the Resource Library button at the top of the screen. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please scroll to the bottom of any page and click “No” where it asks, “Did you find what you were looking for?”. There is also an option to request a callback — one of our Kinship Navigator Call Specialists will usually get back to you in a few minutes!

KinshipCareCA.org includes location-based resources for respite care, childcare, healthcare, education and many other developmental and quality of life assets. Additionally, it includes access to resources supporting stability and the fulfillment of basic needs, such as utility, housing and food assistance. The online resource database currently covers 53 of California’s 58 counties, with resources for remaining counties rolling out by the end of the year. Call specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with live chat rolling out in the coming months. The website is powered by California’s partnership of 211 information and referral providers, and a new statewide resources database for 17 counties not served by 211. United Ways of California is proud to partner with the California Department of Social Services and local United Ways in serving our state’s kinship families. The website utilizes Google Translate.

United Ways of California improves the health, education and financial stability of low-income families by enhancing and coordinating the advocacy and community impact work of 30 member United Ways throughout California. For more information about United Ways of California, visit unitedwaysca.org. To find a local United Way near you visit unitedwaysca.org/find-united-way. For a complete list of United Ways in California please visit unitedway.org/local/united-states/california.

Please read United Ways of California’s Privacy Policy for more information about how data collected on this site will be protected.