Referral process

What should I do if I think a child could benefit from a mentor?

Refer to Kids 'n Kinship!

What makes an appropriate referral?

1. Is the child between the ages of 5 and 16 and does the child live or attend school in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Rosemount or Lakeville – and plan to stay in the area for at least one year?
2. Does the child want additional adult support in the form of a friend? Kids ‘n Kinship follows up on all referrals; it is the decision of the parent and child if they wish to participate in the Kids 'n Kinship program. Kids 'n Kinship volunteers go through a screening and training process but are not professional social workers/counselors.
3. Is the family willing to support a mentor for their child by submitting an application, having a home visit by Kids 'n Kinship staff, signing a Release of Information, having the child ready and available on a weekly basis for a mentor to pick them up and connecting with the outreach staff of Kids 'n Kinship monthly to support and sustain the match?
4. Has the family addressed or are they in the process of addressing needs that may be barriers to a long-term mentor relationship (such as having housing and a phone, counseling for family crisis such as recent deaths, physical and mental health or abuse situations)?
5. Kids ‘n Kinship best serves children who are able to connect with a mentor. Some characteristics such as attachment disorders, autism spectrum, challenging behaviors or other issues are better served by organizations that specialize in these areas.Kids ‘n Kinship mentors are individuals, couples or families who befriend a child, offer guidance, support and activity opportunities. Mentors do not usually have the background to address specific behavior and health related issues.

How do I refer?

1. For Apple Valley, Eagan or Rosemount or any ISD 196 child, contact Rita Younger 651-686-0990 or rykinship@aol.com For Burnsville, Farmington or Lakeville, contact Ingrid Henry 952-891-3885 or ihkinship@aol.com
2. After you make a referral to Kids 'n Kinship staff, we will send application/information to the family directly or we can send the materials to you if you prefer to present them.
3. You can also download applications and information sheets from our website at www.kidsnkinship.org

Important Notes:

• Kids 'n Kinship staff is here to serve children in need and will work with you regarding referrals or questions about a referral – we can assess the referral with you.
• Once an application is submitted, Kids 'n Kinship will do an intake with the child's parent/guardian to ensure they are appropriate for a mentoring relationship before following up with a home visit. We also do a Release of Information with other professionals interacting with the child to determine if their needs can be addressed by our mentoring program.
• Kids 'n Kinship supervises the child/family's involvement within the mentoring relationship and addresses issues that directly affect the mentoring. The program does not have the ability to provide case management and relies on our community partners and referral sources to assist the family with basic needs, crisis situations etc.
• You can call us anytime for updated information on the Child Wait List or potential volunteers available. Thanks!