The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) concern the Kin-Specific Foster Home Approval Standards. These questions were collected during two Network webinars and through technical assistance requests. The Kin-Specific Standards are the only national model of such standards and were developed to help states take the federal option to implement separate, tailored foster care licensing standards for kinship families. They were created by an array of national organizations, including the Network, and informed by child welfare agencies and kin caregivers.
General Questions
- So, just to be clear, relatives will still need to get licensed, but the process just won’t be as time-consuming as licensing for non-related individuals?
Yes. The intent of the Kin-Specific Foster Home Approval Standards is that they closely mirror existing kinship placement practices, so the majority of kin could get licensed within days of placement.
- Is there any state that is already in alignment with the new federal rule? If so, I wonder how they are doing and if they have increased overall the number of kinship placements in their state and if there are any challenges or implications that may have arisen?
While no states were in alignment with the federal rule as of October 2023, as of August 2025, over 15 states and tribes have been approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to implement kin-specific standards and processes. See this map.
The approved jurisdictions are reporting reduced administrative burden, improved employee experience/retention, and are beginning to see kinship placement percentages improve. In addition to kin-specific approval standards, an agency’s kin-finding practices are critical to increasing kin placement numbers; please see the Network’s Kin-Finding Toolkit for recommended practices.