For the First Time, Half of Maryland’s Youngest Children in Foster Care are Living with Family
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ANNAPOLIS, MD – In honor of National Kinship Care Month this September, Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) are celebrating the relatives, neighbors and trusted adults who have stepped forward to provide a safe and loving home for the children in their lives. Thanks to Maryland’s 2024 Kinship Care Law and the Moore-Miller administration’s Family Matters initiative, the state has succeeded in placing more children than ever before in out-of-home (foster) care with family by blood or by choice.
“Our administration is dedicated to building communities that leave no one behind and that means we must ensure children in Maryland feel supported and safe,” said Gov. Moore. “By placing foster kids with their relatives, neighbors and trusted adults, we are providing them the proper support systems and care they need to go forward and seize every opportunity to realize their potential.”
As of July 2026, 50% of children in foster care under 10 were living with kin, a substantial increase from July 2024, when 34.5% of children that age were living with kin. This figure represents more than 230 additional children who remain connected to family while in out-of-home care.
Research shows that young people do better when they are placed with family. Maryland’s kin-first approach prioritizes placement with kin whenever possible so children can remain connected to their relatives, communities, schools, and cultures. Kinship placements are also more likely to result in children reuniting with their parents or achieving permanency through guardianship or adoption.
“When I got the call that Emma needed help, I did everything in my power to be there for her,” said Cheryl Minnick, of Oakland. Cheryl had previously served as a kinship caregiver for her 6-year-old granddaughter before adopting Emma this August. “My main focus in life became taking care of my grandbaby. She’ll always know where she came from and who her family is. It gives me hope that Maryland is prioritizing keeping children with their families.”
As of July 2026, the number of total youth living with kin has increased by more than 440 compared to before the 2024 law took effect. The kinship placement rate has increased by 46% over that time period.
“With half of Maryland’s youngest children remaining with family during their most formative years, we are better serving families and improving the well-being of children in our care,” said Maryland Department of Human Services Acting Secretary Stacy L. Rodgers. “As a former kinship caregiver myself, I am grateful for the governor’s leadership on this initiative—and for the kinship caregivers who have opened their homes and hearts to care for their young family members. It is making a world of difference for Maryland’s youth.”
As part of the Family Matters initiative, DHS removed barriers that made it difficult for kinship caregivers to become licensed, which is required to both care for DHS youth and to receive financial support. As a result, the percentage of licensed kinship caregivers increased dramatically from 25% in December 2024 to 88% as of September 2026.
Due to licensing changes, DHS has invested an additional $5 million to assist kinship caregivers and ensure they have the support that they need.
“A kinship caretaker’s job may come about as instantly as oatmeal in a package and the time period may last as short or long as a scraped knee,” said Sumeana Leslie, who lives in Waldorf and serves as a kinship caregiver for her one-year-old granddaughter. “But what will last a lifetime is the unconditional love and memories as a result of the care you chose to give.”
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