Foster Child Care Conference

Foster children under the care of a relative can avoid feelings of loss. That is according to Ruth McRoy, a University of Texas professor who studies open adoptions, family preservation, and racial identity issues. She spoke at a University of Pittsburgh lecture series that focuses on social problems.

When a family relative becomes the primary parent of a foster child, it is called being under "Kinship Care." McRoy says children often have a better sense of security under this kind of care, because they are more likely to stay in the same household than children being cared for by a non family member. The majority of foster children still go to unrelated families, however Kinship Care is becoming more common. Almost 200,000 children in Pennsylvania are being cared for by a non-parent family member.