I Am Drowning Now, but There Is a Light at the End of the Tunnel: Perceived Efficacy of Peer Support Groups Among Informal Kinship Caregivers of Maltreated Children in Washington State Kinship Navigator Programs

Background and Purpose: Informal kinship placements play a critical role in preventing children's entry into the formal foster care system. Informal kinship caregivers comprise the majority of those caring for maltreated children who cannot safely remain with their biological parents. Nearly 60% of these caregivers are grandparents, often marginalized older women navigating the frontlines of structural inequities. While 80% to 90% of kinship placements occur outside formal child welfare systems, informal caregivers are typically eligible for only limited support, such as child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and kinship navigator programs (KNPs). Although the Family First Prevention Services Act has recognized the importance of developing evidence-based KNPs, to date, only five states have met the evidence standards outlined by the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse. Moreover, most program evaluations have focused primarily on formal kinship families involved in the child welfare system. As a result, both service models and implementation research remain underdeveloped for informal kinship care. This qualitative study seeks to address these gaps by engaging lived experts—informal kinship caregivers themselves— to explore their perceptions of peer support as a key component of local Kinship Navigator Programs (KNPs).

Methods: Guided by a community-engaged research framework, this qualitative study utilized thematic analysis of four focus group interviews conducted through a university–community partnership. A semi-structured interview guide shaped the qualitative questions, focusing on the implementation and perceived effectiveness of local kinship navigator programs (KNPs). A total of 36 informal kinship caregivers participated in the study. The majority were mid- to older-aged (92% aged 45 or older), female (75%), White (64%), married (67%), not living with other adults in the household (69%), retired or not employed (45%), or working part-time (25%). Most participants were grandparents of the children in their care (78%). All were actively engaged in local KNPs situated in more rural areas. Each focus group lasted approximately 1.5 hours, was audio-recorded, and was transcribed verbatim. Inductive coding was used to categorize and organize codes into emerging themes. To ensure data trustworthiness, we conducted member checking by disseminating study findings to community partners and participating informal kinship caregivers.

Results: The study identified two major themes surrounding their perceived efficacy of kinship-centered peer support: (1) Collective Shared Lived Experience, Caregiver Identity, and Community Connectedness as a Source of Resilience and Self-Compassion, and (2) Intergenerational Parenting Support for Caregiver Resilience. First, shared identity and lived experience fostered resilience, emotional safety, and self-compassion. Peer groups created non-judgmental spaces where caregivers—many raising children due to parental substance misuse—felt validated and less alone, reducing internalized stigma and shame. These groups offered hope, belonging, and normalcy for both caregivers and children. Second, intergenerational parenting support enhanced confidence through age-appropriate strategies and peer modeling. Caregivers gained emotional strength, practical tools, and vicarious resilience.

Conclusion and Implications: The longitudinal nature of these peer-led spaces offered a unique support system that formal services could not replicate, highlighting the essential role of peer support in sustaining caregiver well-being of informal kinship caregivers.