Amelia* was only two years old when she was removed from her home and placed into foster care. At the time, her birthmother, Mandy*, struggled with substance abuse and was unable to care for her.

Soon after Amelia entered foster care, her aunt Jean* assumed emergency custody. Jean and her sister Mandy, Amelia’s mom, had grown up in foster care themselves. Jean remembered the trauma of being moved from home to home. She didn’t want that for her niece. Jean wanted Amelia to grow up in a stable, permanent family where she would be loved and supported unconditionally.

Jean stepped into the role of kinship caregiver. In kinship care, a child is cared for by a relative—such as a grandparent or aunt—or someone close to the family, rather than by someone the child doesn’t know. Kinship care helps preserve family connections, increases stability, and minimizes the trauma of separation.

Through our programs, Stanford Sierra staff helped Jean and her two biological children complete the resource family certification process. Staff also connected the family to other community resources, and Jean regularly attended the program’s support group for kinship caregivers.

Today, Amelia is thriving in her aunt’s care. Her adoption was finalized last fall. She enjoys preschool and lights up when interacting with other kids her age. Her teachers love her big personality, and next year she’ll start kindergarten.

Amelia still has a relationship with her birthmother. Jean sets and maintains healthy boundaries for the benefit of everyone. Amelia is also building bonds with her new siblings. There are bumps now and then, but together they are finding their way as a family and they know they can always count on the Stanford Sierra team for support.

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.​