Kinship Connection Offers Support

We are presenting a regular support group for grandparents and other relatives raising children.

The new group is part of the Kinship Connection program to serve relatives raising children. The group is a partnership between Care Connection for Aging Services and ParentLink of the University of Missouri.

The program will offer kinship caregiver credit for Missouri state licensure.

Each session will provide practical information that adults 55 and older can use in their daily role as a grandparent or relative raising a child.

Kinship Connection is more than just a job assignment for Tammy Wilkey, Care Connection Family Caregiver Specialist and a single grandmother raising three young grandchildren – a girl and two boys.

“It’s pretty rough sometimes,” said Wilkey. “In my situation, the boys have been through a lot. They don’t get to see their mother on a regular basis, and they do not understand why. That puts a lot of stress on the boys, and there are behavioral problems.”

The Kinship Connection Program is aimed at relatives who have the challenging task of caring for grandchildren younger than 18.

“I very much have struggled with finding the resources I needed,” said Wilkey, who has had guardianship of her grandchildren for three-plus years. “When I came to work at Care Connection, all these resources just fell into my lap. I think this information will be very helpful to other grandparents, if they just know the information exists.”

Three programs are available:

Warrensburg Trails Regional Library: 3rd Tuesday of every month, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Clinton Senior Center: 3rd Wednesday of every month, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Warsaw Senior Center: Every other Monday, Starting January 22, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Participation is free, and walk-ins are welcome. To register, call Tammy Wilkey at 660-438-3300, ext. 3. or Lisa Lewis at 1-800-748-7826, ext. 248. The Kinship Connection Program is aimed at relatives who have the challenging task of caring for children younger than 18. Wilkey and Lewis also are available for one-on-one support, information, and resources for kinship care.