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Edgewood Kinship Support Network

Note: The Edgewood Kinship Support Network program was not responsive to the CEBC's inquiry. The following information was obtained from publicly available sources.

Topic Areas
Scientific Rating
Child Welfare Relevance
Kinship Caregiver Support Programs
NR  — Not able to be Rated
High

About This Program

Target Population: Kinship caregivers

Program Overview

The Edgewood Kinship Support Network is designed to support kinship caregivers in an effort to keep the children in their care or reunited with a biological parent and to relieve the burden of the formal foster care system.

The network offers comprehensive services to support kinship families including:

  • Case management
  • Caregiver support groups in multiple languages located throughout San Francisco and San Mateo Counties
  • Parenting and educational workshops
  • Food and supplies
  • Independent living skills and classes
  • Family activities and celebrations
  • Wellness activities for caregivers (mindfulness, stress reduction, harm reduction)
  • Referrals to Edgewood's Outpatient Mental Health Services program
  • A comprehensive, website (www.iKinship.org) updated regularly with information for kinship families inside of San Francisco County

Logic Model

The program representative did not provide information about a Logic Model for Edgewood Kinship Support Network.

Manuals and Training

Publicly available information indicates there is some training available for this program.
See contact info below.

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

Cohon, D., Hines, L., Cooper, B., Packman, W., & Siggins, E. (2005). Preserving family: Themes from a qualitative study of kin caregivers. Family Preservation Journal, 8, 43-63.

Type of Study: Qualitative study
Number of Participants: 58

Population:

  • Age — Median=55 years
  • Race/Ethnicity — 100% African American
  • Gender — 100% Female
  • Status — Participants were involved with the Edgewood Kinship Support Network and the San Francisco Department of Human Services' (DHS)

Location/Institution: San Francisco, CA

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of two similar groups of African American female kin caregivers, one group receiving private services from Edgewood's Kinship Support Network (KSN) and the other group receiving public services at the San Francisco Department of Human Services' (DHS). Measures utilized included demographic questionnaires which collected information on drug use. Results indicate that responses highlight three primary reasons for becoming caregivers that center on providing for these children, protecting these children (particularly from the perceived threat of the public foster care system), and ultimately preserving the family unit. Limitations include lack of randomization, lack of control group, and findings may not be generalized due to ethnicity and gender.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

Additional References

Cohon, D., & Cooper, B. A. (1999). Edgewood's Kinship Support Network: Program model and client characteristics, Children and Youth Services Review, 21(4), 331-338.

Cohon, D., Hines, L., Cooper, B., Packman, W., & Siggins, E. (2003). A preliminary study of an intervention with kin caregivers. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 1(3), 49-72.

Contact Information

Hope Ivory
Website: edgewood.org/kinship-support
Email:

Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed by CEBC: April 2017

Date Program Content Last Reviewed by Program Staff: March 2024

Date Program Originally Loaded onto CEBC: May 2017