Resources for Relative Foster Care

Alaska Resources

Grandparents Taking Care of Grandchildren (Radio Program) KSKA Radio’s Charles Wohlforth talked with Alaskan grandparents raising their grandchildren as a result of alcohol and drug abuse.


Volunteers of America (VOA) --Kinship Care ProjectVOA Alaska’s Kinship Care program provides additional family services for fulltime caregivers of grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews, or other extended family members. You do not have to be licensed or have legal custody to receive support.

To enroll: After submitting an intake form and family needs assessment, you will be connected with a Care Coordinator to create a collaborative support plan to meet your family’s needs.

For More Information: kinshipak@voaak.org Director of Family Services (907) 265-1905 Family Care Coordinators (907) 419-4537 / 4536 / 4672


Understanding ICPC (Lisa Marx, OCS) click red arrow to listen to this training Lisa Marx, Interstate Compact Office - Office of Children’s Services

(907) 209-7650 Email: lisa.marx@alaska.gov


Guide to Child Protective Services for Relatives

GrandFacts: State Fact Sheets for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children (Alaska)


Guides and Articles

Raising Relatives’ Children from the Iowa Foster Parents Association

HelpGuide.org Grandparents RIghts and Custody Options A Guide to Legal Rights and Support Services

Grandfamilies.org A website of resources sponsored by Casey Family Programs, the American Bar Association and Generations United

A Family’s Guide to the Child Welfare System

Kinship Caregivers and the Child Welfare System Information Packet from the Child Welfare information Gateway

AARP has put together several resources to assist grandparents raising grandchildren including a guide of what to do if you are just getting started at

Grandparenting Today Lots of fact sheets from the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension specific to grandparents raising grandchildren from development to money ideas to self-care to dealing with adult child interference.


Annie E. Casey Foundation Kinship Care Series

Engaging Kinship Caregivers: Managing Risk Factors in Kinship Care (Featuring Kinship Care Expert Joseph Crumbley) For Training Credit, Use the Micro-Training Video Questionnaire. Each Module is worth (.5 hr) of training.

Module One: Engaging Kinship Caregivers: Guilt

Module Two: Engaging Kinship Caregivers: Loss and Ambivalence

Module Three: Engaging Kinship Caregivers: Projections and Transference

Module Four: Engaging Kinship Caregivers: Hope, Fantasy and Denial

Module Five: Engaging Kinship Caregivers: Loyalty Issues