Kinship United’s Guiding Principles for Child Welfare

Kinship United believes children should grow up in families, not institutions. Our family-centered approach follows the same child welfare values promoted by groups like the UN, UNICEF, and the Red Cross/Red Crescent for children who are orphaned, separated, or without a safe family.

A Family-Centered Approach

Kinship Families are designed to give children a safe and loving home where they can heal, grow, and belong. Instead of using a traditional orphanage model, we focus on family-based care. Children are cared for by loving caregivers who help meet their physical, emotional, spiritual, and educational needs.

Kinship Families are built around four important parts: the child, the caregivers, the Kinship Local Church, and the community.

Core Values

Whole-Child Care

We care about every part of a child’s life: their faith, health, emotions, education, relationships, and future. Our goal is to help children recover from trauma and grow in a stable, loving home.

Restoring Childhood

Every child deserves to feel safe, go to school, play, grow, and be treated with dignity. We want each Kinship Family to be a place where children can experience the childhood they may have lost.

The Importance of Family

We believe family is one of the most important parts of a child’s life. Whenever it is safe and possible, we support efforts to reunite children with their families. When that is not possible, we work to provide a safe family environment through Kinship care.

Fair Treatment for Every Child

Every child is valuable. We do not discriminate based on background, tribe, ethnicity, gender, ability, or life situation. Each child deserves love, protection, and opportunity.

Equal Opportunities for Boys and Girls

We believe boys and girls should have equal access to education, healthcare, safety, and opportunities to grow.

Safe Housing

Children need a safe place to live. A secure home helps children feel protected, connected, and part of a family.

Following International Child Welfare Standards

We seek to follow respected child welfare principles, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This means we focus on protecting children, treating them fairly, listening to them, and making decisions based on what is best for them.

Supporting Caregivers

Caregivers play a very important role in the lives of the children. We support and encourage them as they provide daily care, guidance, and love.

Making Decisions in the Child’s Best Interest

Every decision should be made with the child’s safety, well-being, and future in mind. We consider local laws, ethical values, culture, and the individual needs of each child.

Listening to Children

Children should be heard. When decisions affect them, we believe their thoughts and feelings should be considered in a way that fits their age and maturity.

Discipline with Love and Respect

We do not support violent discipline. Children should be guided in a way that teaches respect, responsibility, and understanding, while reflecting both local laws and Biblical values.

Growing Toward Self-Sufficiency

Our goal is for each Kinship Family to become more self-sustaining over time. Within five years, we want each home to grow in local support, community involvement, and practical independence.

Freedom in Christ

We teach and share Christian beliefs while also respecting each child’s thoughts, conscience, and dignity. We want children to learn faith in a way that also teaches love, respect, and care for others.

Our Goal

Through Kinship Families, Kinship United works to create safe, loving, and family-centered homes where children can heal, grow, and build a better future.