This resolution expresses congressional support for designating September 2025 as "National Kinship Care Month" to recognize and honor relatives—including grandparents, siblings, godparents, and other family members—who raise children when parents cannot. Over 2.5 million children live in kinship care arrangements, with more than 2.6 million in informal kinship care outside the foster care system, saving taxpayers over $4 billion annually by reducing pressure on the formal foster care system. The resolution highlights that kinship caregivers face substantial challenges accessing resources and support despite research showing that children in kinship care experience better behavioral and mental health outcomes, stronger family connections, and greater permanency than those in non-relative foster care. The resolution particularly notes disparities affecting Black and American Indian/Alaska Native children, who are overrepresented among children raised by kinship caregivers. Congress pledges to honor these caregivers and continue supporting policies and programs—such as Kinship Navigator programs operating in over 40 states—that provide assistance to kinship families and vulnerable children.
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