Let’s Chat: Kin means family, are you there for yours?

By Linda Tooth on October 1, 2025.

Do you remember your grandparents, or are you a grandparent? I remember mine as loving people who were a part of my life until they passed away. Holidays (Christmas and summer breaks), phone calls (sorry Grandpa, your Saskatchewan Roughriders lost today), letters and birthday cards (always had money in it) in the mail, always brought a smile to my face. Being a grandparent or a grandchild today is different for so many.

Are you familiar with the term ‘kinship’. Recently, I was in a grocery store when I first learned what kinship was. I met up with former colleagues who had recently retired. When I asked them how retirement was and what they were doing to keep busy, they told me they were helping to care for their grandchild. They went on to tell me they had kinship over their grandchild.

Unfamiliar with the term ‘kinship’, I asked them what that meant, and they explained to me that their son’s marriage was ending, and he needed help raising his child, their grandchild. They stepped up and got kinship of their grandchild.

According to the Government of Alberta – Children and Youth Services, Kinship Care Review Report, kinship is defined as “a family home that is approved to care for a specific child because of a family connection or significant relationship to the child.”

This report published in 2009 identified that kinship care is important in helping to maintain connections to family, culture and community. According to Alberta Children and Youth Services, in 2009 this type of care was the preferred option for our Indigenous peoples as 62% of Alberta’s children and youth in care were Indigenous.

As of January 2023, there were just over 2300 homes approved for kinship care. According to Child Intervention Statistics provided by the Alberta government, this is a slight decrease in homes from 2020.

The report goes on to say that during the months of April through to December of 2023, 73% of children in care were Indigenous.

What is happening that children are not being raised by their parents? Why are family members like grandparents who in some cases are much older, facing health challenges, and often on a fixed retirement income having to provide for their grandchildren?

The Alberta government realizes the value of those who provide foster and kinship care by stating earlier this year that they will raise the rate provided to those who care for children and youth by 2%, which equates to 3.1 million dollars. Is that enough money? I do not know.

Back to my question of “what is happening that children are not being raised by their parents”? The answer may or may not surprise you.

Have you heard the term ‘skipped generation?’ This term is what we are seeing in many families today, and the reasons this term was created are surprising.

Stay tuned next week for more on grandparents being parents again because of a skipped generation.

Have a Meowtastic Day and keep reading.

Linda Tooth is a philanthropy and youth support worker, YMCA of Southeastern Alberta