Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network

A National Technical Assistance Center

Child Trends is partnering with Generations United, the project lead, to evaluate the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network (Network), the first-ever national technical assistance (TA) center on grandfamilies and kinship families. Grandfamilies or kinship families are those in which children reside with and are being raised by grandparents, other extended family members, and adults with whom they have a close family-like relationship, such as godparents and close family friends. The Network exists, free of charge, to offer a new way for government agencies and nonprofit organizations in states, Tribes, and territories to collaborate and work across jurisdictional and systemic boundaries—all to improve supports and services for grandfamilies and kinship families now and into the future.

As the Network’s evaluation partner, Child Trends will 1) develop criteria for evaluating and selecting evidence-based, evidence-informed (EB/I), and/or promising practices to elevate among jurisdictions; 2) conduct a process and impact evaluation of the Network; and 3) share lessons learned with the Network partners (including the federal funding agency, the Administration for Community Living).