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When a child can’t remain in the care of their parents, sometimes the best place for them is with extended family or friends.

This is called kinship care, and it’s a form of caregiving that keeps children connected to their roots. 

Unlike traditional foster care, kinship placements often come together quickly and without the same level of training or support. That leaves many kinship caregivers facing unique challenges: navigating complicated family dynamics, managing grief and trauma, and figuring out systems that weren’t built with them in mind.

Last October, we shared the story of kinship caregiver, Emily Wiebe, and her journey caring for her nephew Remi. Since then, Emily has stepped into a new role as Kinship Care Coordinator at Foster Village Northeast KS, where she’s working to ensure other families in similar situations feel less alone.

In this Q&A, Emily reflects on how her family has grown, what she’s learned about kinship care over the past year, and her hopes for supporting more kinship caregivers in our community.

What does this new role of Kinship Care Coordinator mean to you? What are your hopes for it?

Ever since I started pursuing custody of my nephew, I have realized the importance of family taking care of family. It is such a sacred and nuanced role to play for someone close to you. It requires tenacity, humility, and grace in an often complicated situation. My desire in this role is to support family members like me experiencing caregiving for maybe the first time. I want them to feel supported and validated in this important work. I want them to see that there are people around them doing similar things and that Foster Village wants to come alongside them. I've been so blessed by Foster Village and the people who serve and want other people to experience the same thing.

My desire in this role is to support family members like me experiencing caregiving for maybe the first time. I want them to feel supported and validated in this important work.

What's changed or stayed the same in your family's journey? How is your nephew Remi doing?

Everything and nothing has changed since Remi came into our lives. Our hearts are fuller. Our hands even more so. Our desire to provide a safe and loving home for Remi is very much still the goal, but he has grown and changed tremendously since being with us. He is becoming a little man with desires and needs that are sometimes challenging to pinpoint! Even while there are beautiful moments, there are also some really hard ones. Being separated from your biological parents, no matter the age, is a lifelong trauma that unfolds with time. We are so honored to walk alongside and support Remi as he walks this life of his. We see so much redemption in his story and look forward to all that he will accomplish and experience. 

Being separated from your biological parents, no matter the age, is a lifelong trauma that unfolds with time.

What have you learned or experienced over the past year that you wish more people knew about kinship care?

Man, where to begin. Kinship caregiving is one of the most challenging and rewarding roles I've ever participated in. Because I know Remi's biological mother intimately, I have a better understanding of how to grow their relationship in a safe, welcoming, and lasting manner. It doesn't always go according to plan, but the opportunity for healthy, vital connections between him and his mom will likely be there because of my proximity to my family. Sometimes, relationships with bio families are not as readily achievable for foster families. There may be fear or a lack of direction due to the unknown nature of the child/bio parent relationship. That's what makes kinship so unique – complicated (what family isn't), but totally worth it.

➡️ If you are a kinship caregiver and seeking tangible support or resources, reach out to Emily at emily@fostervillagenortheastks.org.