Colorado sees jump in ‘kinship’ foster families after state increases support, simplifies process

Nearly 40% more relatives and other “kin” are receiving state support to help raise children in Colorado’s foster care system than were at this time last year, after legislators streamlined the process for families that want to take in a child.

Last year, a change in state law made it easier for “kinship” caregivers to get certified as foster care providers for a child they know. Once a kinship family gets certified, they receive the same daily rate as foster families that take in children they don’t know, which ranges from $43 to $66 per day, depending on the child’s age.

The law change also allowed kinship families who hadn’t completed the certification process to get paid 30% of the rate the state normally contributes to foster families. In July, those families will become eligible fo