The Kinship program care is limited to children who are eligible to receive state foster care payments and have resided in a fully approved related foster family home for at least six consecutive months. A case by case determination is made for each child. The following must be true:

1. Being returned home or adopted are not appropriate options and not in the best interests of the child.
2. The child has a strong attachment to the prospective kinship guardian and the kinship guardian has a strong commitment to caring permanently for the child.
3. If a child is 14 or older, the child must be consulted regarding the kinship guardianship arrangement.

Kinship guardianship is a judicially created relationship and would therefore be achieved at the point that kinship guardianship is awarded by the juvenile court to the relative.