Leslie was on vacation when the call came in.
“I didn’t hesitate,” she said. “They’re my grandchildren. Of course we would take them.”
By the time she and her husband, Sam returned home to York County, Children and Youth Services was waiting at her door with her three grandchildren, all age six and under.
In a matter of hours, their quiet home became a nursery again. Toys on the floor. Diapers. Nightlights. Questions they weren’t prepared to answer.
What followed was a whirlwind of court hearings, paperwork, training, home inspections, counseling appointments, supervised visits, and fear about what would happen next.
Thankfully, the day after her grandchildren arrived, support did too, and they would not be navigating the process alone.
A Children’s Home of York caseworker walked Leslie and Sam through the process of becoming kinship caregivers, step by step.
“I didn’t really understand what Children’s Home of York did before this,” she said. “This was eye-opening for me.”
Her story is one of thousands unfolding across our community, and it shows why kinship care can be life-changing for children navigating instability.
What Is Kinship Care?
Kinship care is when a child is cared for by a relative or close family friend when they cannot safely remain with their parents.
For Leslie, it was an easy decision.
“If we hadn’t stepped in, these children would have gone to a home they weren’t familiar with or possibly a shelter,” Leslie said. “There should be no hesitation when it’s your own family.”
While it eases the strain on the system and preserves family ties, kinship care only works when relatives are willing, and able, to step forward.
Leslie didn’t realize how many children don’t have that option until she saw it for herself.
At a holiday event hosted by Children’s Home of York, she was surrounded by children of all ages, infants to teenagers, being cared for by foster parents and staff who clearly loved them.
“It was just awesome,” she said, tearing up. “But I didn’t realize there was such a need in York.”
There are thousands of children in York County who cannot remain safely at home, and there are not enough foster families to meet that need.
When a relative steps in, it doesn’t just help one child. It also creates space in a foster home for a child who has no family available to take them in.
That ripple effect is why kinship care is so helpful, not only for individual families, but for the entire child welfare system.
How Does Children’s Home of York Support Kinship Families?
Kinship caregivers don’t just open their homes. They step into a complex system — court
hearings, medical appointments, counseling, supervised visits, and training requirements.
When Leslie and Sam entered emergency kinship care, they had 60 days to complete training and home visits, all while parenting three young children.
Children’s Home of York helped coordinate:
- Medical and dental appointments.
- Counseling and play therapy.
- Required training and home studies.
- Court preparation and support.
- Ongoing case management.
“It was like having a second family to help you get through this process,” Leslie said. “You’re busy changing diapers, feeding, playing. And they’re calling doctors, scheduling physicals. You need that.”
How Kinship Care Strengthens Our Community
When relatives step in, children remain connected to their roots. Trauma is softened by familiarity. Stability begins to replace chaos.
When caregivers are supported, families stabilize faster. Children heal more fully.
When communities understand the need, more doors open.
When children can stay with relatives:
- They maintain family bonds.
- They often remain in the same schools and communities.
- They experience less disruption during trauma.
- They preserve a sense of identity and belonging.
For Leslie, the experience changed her perspective forever.
“I think people need to understand there’s such a need,” she said. “You don’t know until you’re in it.”
Her grandchildren have since moved back home with their father. Leslie still talks to them every day. She is still their steady place.
Kinship care did not erase what they experienced.
But it ensured they faced it surrounded by love.
“If people have the time to give themselves a little bit and make a difference in a child’s life, what you get out of it will be more than what you put into it.”
Thinking About Becoming a Kinship or Foster Caregiver?
You can make a difference for a child in York County. Learn more about how you can open your home, and your heart, by visiting https://childrenshomeofyork.org/foster-care/