IDAHO — Idaho has the highest rate of women incarcerated per capita in the United States, and approximately 80% of those women have children, according to the state's Department of Health and Welfare. When mothers go to prison, their children often end up with relatives who may be unprepared for the sudden responsibility of raising another child.
WATCH: Resources available for kinship caregivers
Tammy Creswell thought her parenting days were over until 12 years ago when she and her husband had to step up to care for their granddaughter because her mother could not.
"It is exhausting. It is not the same as being in your 20's," Creswell said.
The couple wasn't prepared for the challenge of raising another baby, and Creswell admits it took years to figure things out. Her experience reflects a much larger issue across Idaho.
"There's 43 thousand children being raised by relatives in Idaho," said Sheila Weaver, with the Idaho Caregiver Alliance.
While some children end up in foster care, Weaver explains that for every child in the system, 19 others are living in what's known as kinship care. Despite this large community, many kinship caregivers feel isolated.
"We often get calls from people feeling very isolated. They think they're the only ones, and there's a lot of shame and stigma around that," Weaver said.
However, resources are available to help kinship caregivers feel less alone and better equipped to handle their new responsibilities.
"Reach out to health and welfare or 211 because they have kinship-specific navigation services in addition to a relative caregiver grant," Weaver said.
The relative caregiver grant provides $310 per month, which can significantly help kinship guardians manage the financial burden of caring for additional children. The caregiver alliance works to improve society by preventing children from falling through the cracks of the system.
"That produces tremendous outcomes when we can keep children out of foster care," Weaver said.
"All they need is love and support and safety. And family that truly loves them," Creswell said.
The caregiver hotline helps kinship caregivers navigate legal hurdles and connects them with others facing similar challenges. The number to call is 208-426-5899. Those seeking help can also call 2-1-1 to access caregiver resources.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
