Family Resilience in Black Kinship Care: Perspectives of Children, Caregivers, and Birth Parents

Explore the unique history and use of kinship care in the Black community, one of the community’s enduring family strengths. The presentation will review how family dynamics contribute to positive outcomes for children living in kinship care. It will also highlight risk and promotive factors affecting the health of Black caregivers, with a primary focus on stress and Alzheimer’s disease. We will briefly discuss the role and influence of birth parents within kinship care families. This webinar will shed light on the vital role of intergenerational family relationships and community in shaping the well-being of Black kinship families.

Learning objectives:

• Describe the unique use of kinship care in the Black community
• Identify family-level factors that contribute to positive outcomes for children
• Understand the impact of caregiver stress on health
• Recognize the influence of birth parent involvement in kinship families

Presenter: Dr. Tyreasa Washington, Research Associate at Harvard Medical School in the Department of Psychiatry and Faculty at Cambridge Health Alliance & President; CEO, Agape Therapeutic Services, PLLC; and Subject Matter Expert with the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network at Generations United