Listen to our radio PSA:

According to data compiled by University of California at Berkeley's Center for Social Services Research, 38% of children in foster care in Alameda County are being raised by their relative caregivers. The true number of children who are being raised by their relatives is greater since some are in voluntary arrangements.

Since 2001, Lincoln Child Center has offered Kinship Services to all relative caregivers, their children who are under the age of 18, the kin children they are raising, and the children's birthparents that live within the geographic area of central, eastern, and southern Alameda County. Currently, Kinship provides direct services to caregivers and relative children in Hayward, Fremont, San Leandro, Union City, Livermore, Newark, Pleasanton, Dublin and the unincorporated areas of Southern Alameda County.

Lincoln's Kinship Support Services understands that Kin Care offers a positive and stable placement alternative for many children who are unable to be raised by their biological parents. The goal of Kinship is to keep children with their families by providing services to relatives who are raising another family member's children when the parents are absent and/or unable to raise them. Services are designed to reduce the need for children to enter the child welfare system, encourage family placements, and support kin families who exit the child welfare system to accept legal guardianship of their relative children.

Kinship Services include:

• Case management, needs assessment, and service planning.
• Information, referral and advocacy for housing, legal services, in-home services, child care, finances, respite care, mental health and substance abuse counseling, education and health care.
• Support groups for caregivers and for children.
• Children's activity groups, social and recreational outings, and events.
• Respite care.
• Tutoring.
• Educational seminars (parent effectiveness training, child development, stress reduction, permanency planning, job and college readiness, and other client requested topics).
• Quarterly newsletter providing program and community information and event announcements.

Support groups are open to all Kin Caregivers and youth free of charge. Support and education groups for all ages are designed around the needs of the participants. The caregiver group may focus on childrearing issues, finances, local resources, coping skills, and other relevant topics. Teen groups focus on preparation for independent living including meal preparation, obtaining employment, finding housing, and creating a support network. Groups for pre-teens are designed based upon current needs.

The Kinship office in Hayward is open and staff are available to provide information and assistance from 9:00 A.M until 4:00 P.M. Monday through Friday, and Saturdays 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

Support Groups, Education Programs for Caregivers, and Pre-teen and Teen Support/Activity Programs are offered at our Hayward office. For more information, please call our office.

Lincoln's Hayward Office address:

1149 A Street,

Hayward, CA 94541

phone: 510.583.8026

fax: 510.785.0675

The Tri-Valley Support/Education service is held on 3rd Saturdays of each month from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.

Resources of other Kinship programs:
Oakland/North Alameda County
San Francisco
Contra Costa County
San Mateo County
Santa Clara County

Other Kinship / Advocacy Resources:
Generations United
A Grands Place
AARP Grandparent (and other relatives) Information Center
National Commitee of Grandparents for Children's Rights