An article in The Guardian highlights a new study that estimates that more than 140,000 children under the age of 18 lost their mother, father, or grandparent who served as their primary caregiver to the COVID-19 pandemic. UNCG African American Families and Kinship Care Lab Director and Child Trend’s expert Dr. Tyreasa Washington commented on how kinship care can support these children:
“When a child cannot live with their birth parent, almost always the preference would be to place the child with a relative. Children have better behavior and academic outcomes, and they are more likely to stay connected with their birth parents and siblings, as well as their culture.”

Read more on The Guardian