
According to Policy Matters Ohio, an estimated 227,862 children under 18 live with their grandparent(s) or other relatives in Ohio and 124,000 children live with a relative with no parent present.
Kinship Care refers to a temporary or permanent arrangement in which a relative or any non-relative adult who has a long-standing relationship or bond with the child and/or family, has taken over the full-time, substitute care of a child whose parents are unable or unwilling to do so. Kinship Care includes those relationships established through an informal arrangement, legal custody or guardianship order, a relative foster care placement or kinship adoption. Regardless of the type of kinship care arrangement, the kinship caregivers' voluntary commitment to devote their lives to the children in their care is a courageous, life-changing decision (https://jfs.ohio.gov/ocf/kinship_care.stm).
Ohio kinship organizations
Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator Program (OhioKAN) is a flexible and responsive kinship and adoption navigator program designed to support children, youth and their families.
https://ohiokan.jfs.ohio.gov/
Ohio Grandparent/Kinship Coalition (OGKC) is an organization consisting of kinship caregivers,
kinship caregiver advocates and agencies throughout Ohio.
https://ohiograndparentkinship.org/
Ohio Department of Job & Family Services Office of Families and Children is responsible for state level administration and oversight of programs that prevent child abuse and neglect; provide services to abused/neglected children and their families (birth, foster and adoptive); license foster homes and residential facilities; and investigate allegations of adult abuse, neglect and exploitation.
https://jfs.ohio.gov/ocf/index.stm