At the Adoption Law Center, we are always excited to discover new resources to encourage and support families. Jenny Hall, Founder and Managing Attorney of the Adoption Law Center, sat done with Joel Alex, Supervisor of the Davidson County Relative Caregiver to learn more about the services they offer.
Family and Children’s Services is the provider for the Relative Caregiver Program in Nashville. They conduct a needs assessment and set goals for the child’s stability and best interest.
If the child’s permanency goal is adoption, Family and Children’s Service can conduct the home study. They became a licensed child-placing agency because some clients could not afford a home study. Home studies are offered to their clients free of charge. There is a wait list for home studies and a required training course. They also have a contract attorney that represents families in custody and adoption proceedings.
The Relative Caregiver Program offers support groups for caregivers and enrichment activities for kids. They are thoughtful about removing barriers such as transportation and childcare when offering programming. They can also provide limited financial support.
They also provide several evidenced-based programs designed to help families understand trauma and build strong and long-lasting connections. This program is intended to support the child’s extended family to care for them when birth parents are not able to serve in the role of primary caregiver for the child. This allows children to maintain strong family relationships, often a connection to their birth parents, and prevents them from entering foster care.
To learn more about the Davidson County Relative Caregiver Program, give them a call at 615-340-9725 or visit their website: https://www.fcsnashville.org/dcrcp.