Washington, D.C. -– At a Congressional briefing held today on policies that could improve the lives of grandparents and relative caregivers and the children in their care, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton joined with advocates and caregivers, including a grandparent from the South Bronx who is currently raising her grandchild, to highlight the need for federal action that would provide real assistance to help these families.

The briefing, entitled “Grandfamilies: Supportive Policies for Children, Families and Older Adults” was co-sponsored by Generations United, AARP, the Child Welfare League of America, the Children's Defense Fund, and National Hispanic Council on Aging. At the briefing, Generations United released a new report containing state-by-state data on the number of children living in foster care with relative caregivers describing why subsidized guardianship can help children exit foster care for safe, permanent families.

There are currently more than 500,000 children in our nation’s foster care system. About a quarter of these children live with relative caregivers in "grandfamilies" which can include grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Yet many of these children are unable to exit the foster care system to live permanently with these relatives, because, once they leave the foster care system, they are unable to access much-needed supports and services like adequate medical care or special educational assistance.

“As this report shows, every day, more and more grandparents and relatives are assuming responsibility for the care of grandchildren and many of them are making great personal sacrifices to provide safe and loving homes for those in their care,” said Senator Clinton. “Kinship caregivers need special support to succeed and as this report shows, with the right assistance, they can. They have stepped forward to provide safe and loving homes and we too must step forward to give them the help they deserve.”

Those who know the difficulties these caregivers face best - the children and relative caregivers themselves - were on hand to testify at today’s briefing about the obstacles to providing safe, permanent homes for the children in their care.

“I had to take my little social security and my retirement benefits and take care of these kids,” said Dorothy Jenkins a 76-year-old Bronx grandparent who has raised three of her grandchildren. “I don’t know how I did it. I only think about me living long enough to take care of these grandchildren.”

The briefing highlighted how federally-supported subsidized guardianships could help more children exit foster care to live with relatives or guardians when adoption or reunification is not possible. The briefing also emphasized the additional hardships faced by grandfamilies.

“More than a quarter of the children and youth in foster care are being raised by relatives. More than 20,000 of these kids would benefit from subsidized guardianship,” said Donna M. Butts, executive director of Generations United. “For these kids, living with grandparents or other relative caregivers means the difference between a safe permanent home and languishing for years in the system.”

Senator Clinton has long fought to support grandparents and other relatives raising children. Senator Clinton is the author of the Kinship Caregiver Support Act, which would provide families with the guidance they need to learn how to obtain health care coverage for the children in their care, apply for housing assistance, locate childcare, enroll children in school, and gain access to other services. It would also provide a system of subsidized guardianship to make it possible for grandparents and other relatives to care for children who would otherwise be in foster care. Senator Clinton was also a co-sponsor of the Legacy Act, which became law in 2003.

To access the Generations United report, go to - http://www.gu.org/GU_Br4191474.asp

To obtain a photograph of Senator Clinton with Dorothy Jenkins of the Bronx, please call 212-688-9559 or email nina_blackwell@clinton.senate.gov

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