Domestic violence and kinship care:connecting policy with practice

Domestic violence is known to have occurred in 40 to 70% of child welfare cases and has served in some capacity as the basis for removing the child from the birth home (Edleson, 1999). Kinship care is regarded as a growing option for many of these families. This conceptual article discusses the distinct ways that kinship care and domestic violence are linked. The authors discuss how silence, the rising incarceration of women, mistrust of the system, difficulty in securing services for survivors, and economic hardship create unique challenges that require attention at both the practice and policy levels. Policy interventions are proposed at the mezzo and macro levels. Recommendations include promoting the Family Violence Options under the TANF program. The article also discusses the unintended consequences the Adoption and Safe Families Act has in domestic violence situations. doi:10.1300/J045v22n03_05.