Five’s Company: Kinship Care Without Hesitation

Download Printable Version (PDF - 175 KB)

An elderly Caucasian female sitting with two African-American girls, and a Caucasian boy and girl sitting on her lap. They are all smiling at the camera.

Every day without hesitation, Ms. Jane would greet me (her caseworker) at the door with the children. The four children in her home are her nieces and nephew. I witnessed her kind, loving heart each day.

Even though she would struggle to be on time for work and needed assistance, Ms. Jane never showed any signs of stress, at least not while in the presence of the children, and made sure that that they got to summer camps and programming. She truly is a selfless individual who cares first about the children.

Ms. Jane took on the responsibility of four children, ages 10, 8, 6, and 4, without hesitation.

Ms. Jane and her husband provided the children with a week's vacation to the beach this summer, and the children shared their experience with me when they returned.

During our 45-minute daily transportation, the children would talk about how much love Ms. Jane gives to each of them. The children attend church, attend summer camp, and are active with softball. Daily, the children would talk about all the great things they do with the family, including camping, swimming, going to amusement parks, and more.

Ms. Jane genuinely loves her role as a caregiver for these children. She has one of the most loving compassionate hearts. These children could not be in a better home.

To learn more about Allegheny County Department of Human Services, visit http://www.alleghenycounty.us/human-services/index.aspx.

< Previous Story | Narratives Home | Next Story >