Search Results (49)

This article introduces the Third Space of Indian child welfare to theorize how Indigenous nations simultaneously engage and disrupt settler legal systems while building sovereign, care-based alternatives. Drawing from legal analysis, Indigenous political thought, and sociohistorical synthesis, I trace the historical continuity from boarding schools to today’s foster care removals, showing how child welfare operates as a colonial apparatus of family separation. In response, Native nations enact governance through three interrelated strategies: strategic legal engagement, kinship-based care, and tribally controlled family collectives. Building on Bruyneel’s theory of third space sovereignty, Simpson’s nested sovereignty, and Lightfoot’s global Indigenous rights framework, I conceptualize the Third Space as a dynamic field of Indigenous governance that transcends binary settler logics. These practices constitute sovereign abolitionist praxis. They reclaim kinship, resist carceral systems, and build collective futures beyond settler rule. Thus, rather than treating the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) as a federal safeguard, I argue that tribes have repurposed ICWA as a legal and political vehicle for relational governance. This reframing challenges dominant crisis-based narratives and positions Indigenous child welfare as the center of a “global Indigenous politics of care” with implications for theories of sovereignty, family, and abolitionist futures across disciplines, geographies, and social groups. The article concludes by reflecting on the broader implications of the Third Space for other Indigenous and minoritized communities navigating state control and asserting self-determined care. Full article

This study predicts how sociodemographic trends—smaller family sizes, increased longevity, and marital patterns—could affect family care for people with dementia through 2060. By coupling dementia information from the Health and Retirement Study with a well-established kinship microsimulation model, we analyze the impact of demographic changes on the future care landscape, focusing on changes in race and gender differences in two key areas: (1) the availability of family caregivers for people with dementia, and (2) the likelihood of having a family member with dementia, among those without dementia. Our model projections suggest that future dementia cohorts will be more likely to have a living spouse than the current ones, with diminishing gender disparities due to increased male longevity. However, racial disparities will persist, particularly for Black women. The likelihood of older adults lacking spouses, children, and siblings will increase, but remain low. For potential caregivers, we predict an increased likelihood and longer duration of exposure to family members with dementia in future birth cohorts, particularly for Black individuals, potentially placing more people at risk of the adverse health and well-being outcomes associated with caregiving. Full article

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alaska communities faced an extremely challenging situation given their socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic characteristics, as well as issues related to remoteness and colonial legacy. This paper seeks to advance the understanding of the gendered impacts and implications of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous women in Alaskan urban and rural communities through a resilience lens. The paper addresses two primary research questions: (1) What are the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous women in urban and rural Alaska, and specifically what are the gendered implications in the personal, sociocultural, and economic domains? (2) What are the strengths associated with women’s responses to COVID-19 that contribute to individual and community resilience during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and what are the constraints? This research is based on seventeen in-depth thematic interviews conducted in the city of Anchorage, the hub community of Nome, and its neighboring rural communities on the Seward Peninsula. Using the deficit-based approach combined with a strength-based perspective, this study provides a comprehensive examination of Indigenous women experiences during the pandemic across key domains of gendered impacts and responses, also providing a first-ever analysis of differences between rural and urban settings. The results revealed that despite significant challenges in personal, sociocultural, and economic domains, women demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness, while serving as caregivers at home and across their communities. The Indigenous holistic concepts of health and well-being, along with values of care, mutual support, and strong social and kinship ties, combined with traditional land- and water-based activities and cultural practices, play a crucial role in times of crisis, significantly contributing to building resilience and fostering empowerment at both the individual and community levels. Full article

Aboriginal parents experience neonatal intensive care settings at a higher rate than non-Indigenous parents. We sought to explore Aboriginal parents’ experiences of having a gaaynggal (baby) admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in order to improve culturally safe neonatal care environments. The yarning method was used to collect the qualitative data of 15 Aboriginal parents’ stories. Thematic analysis and collaborative yarning were used to determine themes. The themes emerging from the stories included Trauma and its triggers in the NICU; Aboriginal cultural caring practices are not upheld in the NICU; Covert racism and biases impact culturally safe experiences; Health provider communication can obstruct parents’ experience of cultural safety; and Recommendations to uphold culturally safe care in NICU. Culturally safe care practices have been identified as needed, to improve cultural safety in neonatal settings. Through further education and training, the facilitation of Aboriginal family connections and support groups, culturally inclusive spaces for parents and their kinship systems, and increasing Aboriginal staff representations across all levels of health professional experience, cultural safety for Aboriginal parents and gaaynggal can be increased. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns in sub-Saharan Africa led to significant social, economic, and health shocks, raising the need for social protection. While the adaptation of formal systems of social protection in response to these shocks has been investigated, gaps remain in understanding how informal social protection (ISP) systems were reconfigured. Taking the ISP systems of older adults as an entry point, and through the lens of ubuntu, an African moral philosophy that underpins ISP systems, this paper synthesises evidence on the ISP systems of older adults prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019–2024). It highlights shifts that were experienced within these systems amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence reveals pre-existing barriers for older adults to engage in ISP networks prior to the pandemic. The pandemic context enabled older adults to re-integrate and participate in reciprocal exchanges within kinship and community networks. However, the unique pandemic circumstances revealed the additional vulnerabilities of ISP systems, highlighting the need to strengthen state-led interventions to reduce reliance on ISP systems. Opportunities and social policy considerations to reimagine care for older adults in a post-COVID-19 world are discussed. Full article

Background: Caring for dependent people is an intense task that leads family caregivers to suffer physical or mental pathologies. Resilience is a protective factor that makes an individual more resistant to adverse events. Some characteristics of the caregiver or the care provided predispose the caregiver to be less resilient. Knowing these characteristics will allow us to detect vulnerable caregivers. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the factors associated with caregiver resilience and establish a predictive model, including the relationship between preparedness, burden, resilience, and anxiety. Materials and Methods: The study design was descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional, with purposive sampling. The sample included 172 family caregivers of care-dependent patients in Spain. Questionnaires were administered to assess caregiver resilience, anxiety, burden, and the preparedness of care-dependent patients. Correlation, univariate, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with resilience. Results: We found that there is a correlation between resilience, preparation, and burden. Factors related to resilience include age, the caregiver’s health status, kinship, childcare, and state aid granted. Caregiver preparedness is the factor that most predicts caregiver resilience in our model. Caregivers with high levels of resilience also demonstrated high levels of preparedness and experienced less burden than those with low levels of resilience. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the relevance of improving the preparation of family caregivers to increase their resilience and, at the same time, the quality of care provided. Full article

Species in the genus Sclerodermus are among the most socially complex parasitoids, unlike most parasitoids, which are solitary and do not provide care after laying eggs. In Sclerodermus, groups of females paralyse their host, lay eggs on it, and work together to care for the brood (a quasi-social form of reproduction). This research, through database analysis and meta-analysis, covers the biology of the genus, which has 80 species, though only 24 have been studied in detail. It describes their morphology and behaviour, focusing on offspring production, developmental time, and the factors influencing these, such as kinship and the number of females tending the brood. The materials and methods used provide a comprehensive approach to data collection and analysis, drawing on diverse sources, rigorous classification, and advanced statistical techniques. This approach revealed that Sclerodermus species display a high degree of consistency in their responses to temperature, host size, and foundress number. Full article

Background/Objectives: Self-care experiences and understanding of coronary heart disease (CHD) play a pivotal role in the management of CHD and can contribute to positive health outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to explore the views and experiences of CHD patients, their families, and Indigenous leaders about self-care practices of CHD. Methods: A qualitative design employing semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion was used. Employing purposive sampling, 49 respondents, comprising 30 patients, 10 family members, and 9 Indigenous leaders, were recruited and interviewed from April to September 2022. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Five major categories were constructed: (1) inadequate knowledge and early symptom identification; (2) self-care activities for physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs; (3) family and kinship support for self-care efforts; (4) barriers to self-care including physical, psychological, and access issues; and (5) health improvement expectations based on culturally sensitive health education. Conclusions: The study reveals significant gaps in knowledge about CHD and the identification of early symptoms among patients, families, and Indigenous leaders. Despite efforts to meet physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs, self-care is hindered by various barriers, including limited access to healthcare and entrenched habits. The support from family and kinship systems is crucial for self-care. Participants expressed a strong desire for culturally tailored health education and better health control to improve heart health outcomes. Full article

In the global public health discourse, involving men in maternal and neonatal health is regarded as crucial for positive outcomes in both health and development. In South Africa, health interventions designed to promote male partner involvement among low-income indigenous populations have been framed within social constructivist notions of masculinities and have produced mixed outcomes. This has necessitated calls to explore alternative approaches, including the need to decolonise men and masculinities studies in Africa. As part of one phase of formative research for a mixed-method project aimed at adapting a male involvement intervention for the context of Sesotho-speaking men and women in the Free State, we applied a multi-site case study research design and collected qualitative data using focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Verbatim-recorded transcripts were translated, transcribed, and thematically analysed with NVIVO 14. The results indicate that customary practices in pregnancy, delivery, and newborn care are not static and vary between families based on belief systems, socioeconomic status, geographical setting (peri-urban/rural), and kinship networks of care. Therefore, these practices and beliefs should be understood, affirmed, and contested within the complex African-centred material and immaterial worldviews on personhood in which they were generated, transmitted, rejected, or adopted. It is recommended that a decolonised approach to male partner involvement in this context must be cognisant of the intersections of racial and gendered power relations, contestations in beliefs and practices, the resilient effect of colonialism on indigenous gender systems, as well as contemporary global entanglements that inform North–South power relations on the best practices in maternal and newborn health in the public health sector in South Africa. Full article

This study reflects the evidence-building journey for the Colorado Kinnected kinship navigator program. Colorado Kinnected expands the scope of services, resources, and supports offered to kinship families through an innovative approach that enhances an earlier Kinship Supports Demonstration Project. The Colorado Kinnected target population includes kinship caregivers caring for children and youth of any age with an open child welfare case. The primary purpose of the program is to reduce child welfare involvement by limiting traditional foster care and congregate care use when out-of-home placements are required. A randomized controlled trial was conducted from June to November 2020 to examine the impact of the Colorado Kinnected kinship navigator program on the kinship placement outcomes of 402 children and youth with an open child welfare case in seven Colorado counties. The initial study found that children and youth placed with kinship caregivers who received Colorado Kinnected services were significantly more likely to reunify with their parents after their kinship placements ended than were children and youth who received kinship supports as usual. The sustained effects study featured additional analyses of traditional foster and congregate care entry rates within six months of kinship placement for the same sample of children and youth. Children and youth in the intervention group were significantly less likely than children and youth in the control group to enter foster care or congregate care within six months after the end of their kinship placements. Overall, both analyses indicate that the Colorado Kinnected program promotes sustained permanency among children and youth in formal kinship placements. Data equity analyses to explore the contextual sensitivity of the intervention are detailed, and implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed. Full article

While kinship care is prevalent and preferred over out-of-family care, there are relatively few measurement tools validated for use with this audience. The Title IV-E Clearinghouse, used to rate Families First Prevention Services such as Kinship Navigator Programs, requires valid tools. Such families face a myriad of needs in supporting children in their care. Previous research has established the significant challenges faced by rural families. Accurate assessment of these needs, particularly for rural families, is an essential component of kinship navigation services. In this study, we examined the face validity of the Family Needs Scale for use with kinship caregivers in rural programs. Methods: The evaluation teams with each respective kinship program conducted four virtual focus groups comprising kinship caregivers (n = 18) in three rural states. Participants were recruited from outside an ongoing Kinship Navigator Program Evaluation sample but had previously received program support as kinship caregivers. All states received IRB approval from their respective universities. Verbal consent was obtained at the time of the focus group. Focus groups lasted approximately 60–90 min and participants received a gift card incentive. Data were transcribed and qualitatively coded by question set and individual questions to identify phenomenological trends. Findings: Across four focus groups, we found four themes: (1) Broad agreement regarding the face validity of most assessment items; (2) Lack of clarity and shared understanding of several terms used within the tool, (3) Responses change with Ages and Stages of kinship family, and (4) Perspective considerations varying when completing the assessment. Discussion: Findings indicate that most assessment items had strong face validity, where there are a few opportunities to clarify key concepts relevant to rural kinship families and assess additional needs to understand the situational scope of the kinship experience. Overall, the needs assessment tool appears to have validity in assessing current kinship needs and outcomes within Kinship Navigator program evaluation. Full article

Wills within the legislative+ system for donation contracts are considered highly beneficial and have a great impact on both testators and legatees. They hold financial and value dimensions aimed at linking today’s generation with future generations, perpetuating humanitarian work, and extending it beyond death. Consequently, wills, along with other charitable resources such as endowments, constitute significant channels that can contribute to achieving sustainable development in societies. This study aims to illustrate the impact of the relationship between wills and sustainable development. It highlights the importance of wills for societal advancement, noting that they are no less important than endowment systems. This study concludes that the legislation of wills is among systems that encompass intergenerational ties; strengthen social cohesion; elevate societies by maintaining ties of kinship; improve the conditions of financially and socially disadvantaged people; provide education and healthcare for the underprivileged; and foster intergenerational bonds in the forms of compassion, empathy, and integration. Moreover, wills grant individuals participation in shaping a better future for forthcoming generations, in addition to alleviating the suffering caused by poverty and striving for self-sufficiency, social care, and education, thereby embodying the economic and social dimensions of sustainable development. Full article

Kinship caregivers encounter complex issues when interfacing with the child welfare system. Most kinship care families are not connected to child welfare. The experiences and extent of child welfare connection among older grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren are understudied. This study describes in-depth reflections from older grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren about circumstances leading to kinship care and the extent of child welfare involvement. Nineteen older grandparents raising adolescent grandchildren participated in qualitative phenomenological interviews. Eligibility criteria included identifying as a primary caregiver aged 40 or older for a grandchild 12 years or older who lived with them at least three days during the week. Respondents were primarily married (58%), white/non-Hispanic (53%), and grandmothers (84%) and had some college education or were college graduates (79%). Older grandparent caregivers described three themes: the intensive child welfare path, the influence of indirect child welfare professionals, and guardians with influence. The onset of kinship care, with or without intensive child welfare involvement, stemmed primarily from child abuse and neglect linked primarily to adolescent pregnancies and parental substance use. Child welfare and other helping professionals must recognize and problem-solve with older grandparent caregivers to meet complex stage-of-life needs in and outside of traditional child welfare settings. Full article

Family relationships are a distinctive feature of kinship-care placements, but very few studies have examined how the dynamics of these relationships affect the placement experience. This article does explore these dynamics and identifies some possible patterns, as experienced and reported by parents of children placed in kinship care. The findings presented here come from a qualitative study employing a life-story methodology, in which nine parents were interviewed on two occasions each. All of them had experienced the permanent placement of at least one of their children with a member of their extended family, under the direction of a government child-protection agency. Drawing from significant themes in parental narratives, particularly that of relationships, we analyzed and delineated three distinct profiles. In the first profile, a family solidarity was present between the parents and the kinship caregivers before the placement and was maintained during the placement. In the second, the parents struggled to keep their place in their children’s lives, thus experiencing conflicts both with the kinship caregivers and with the child-protection agency. In the third profile, the dynamics of the current relationship between both biological parents influenced the other family relationships of the parent who was interviewed. Full article

Children placed with kinship foster parents can experience less disruption and stronger family ties than children in non-kinship placements. However, financial hardship can restrict kinship caregivers from taking in relatives’ children. This study investigated (1) kinship caregivers’ financial standing compared to a national subsample of caregivers and (2) whether certain factors moderate the likelihood that a kinship caregiver will be able to provide care for additional non-relative children without additional financial assistance from the Department of Social Services (DSS). This study utilized primary data from 345 relatives across North Carolina and nationally representative secondary data on 6394 individuals’ financial circumstances. One-sample t-tests and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests revealed that caregivers who participated in our study generally fared better financially than caregivers at the national level. Model-based recursive partitioning results showed that if an additional child is placed in the home, the caregiver’s perceived capacity to provide care without extra DSS support decreased by approximately 19%, with a greater decrease (35%) among a subgroup of caregivers with low financial well-being status. The heterogeneity in caregivers’ experiences, capacities, and financial needs buttresses the need for nuanced interventions and programs targeting these caregivers, enabling them to provide more stable care for children placed in their homes. Full article