This measure represents the percentage of days children and youth in care are served in kinship settings with family members or close family friends providing their primary care. This number is not representative of the kinship point in time number. DCFS strives to serve children in their home or with kin whenever safely possible. The goal for this measure is to increase the number of days children and youth in care spend with kin.

Data is reported six weeks after the end of each quarter to allow time for data entry by direct service and support staff.

This measure has trended up for the last three quarters. DCFS is in the process of reviewing barriers that may have unintentionally resulted in more frequent placement with foster or shelter care over kinship settings. DCFS is working to update policy and procedures that we believe will improve the ability to place initially with kin. The federal government has also updated kinship licensing rules, which could provide DCFS and the Office of Licensing with the ability to create a more robust pathway for kin. DCFS is actively reviewing these updates and opportunities to improve the licensing pathway for kin.