Fostering in a Kin-First State
Includes a Live Web Event on 05/15/2026 at 11:00 AM (MDT)
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Register
- Foster Parent (Colorado) - Free!
- Project 1.27 Referral - Free!
- Certified Kin Parent (Outside Colorado) - Free!
- Other - Free!
- Prospective Foster Parent - Free!
- Guest - Equine Program - Free!
- Foster Parent (New Mexico) - Free!
- New Mexico Misc. - Free!
- Non-certified Kin Parent (Outside Colorado) - Free!
- Non-certified Kin Parent (Colorado) - Free!
- Certified Kin Parent (Colorado) - Free!
- Foster Parent (Outside Colorado) - Free!
- Speaker - Free!
- Teacher - Free!
- Foster Source Staff - Free!
- Former FP/Adoptive Parent/Not currently fostering - Free!
- County/CPA Worker - Free!
- CASA - Free!
Colorado is a Kin First state — and that shapes everything about what it means to be a foster parent today. This session, led by CDHS Foster Care Administrator Lindsey Tapp, LCSW, explores what the Kin First approach means in practice and how foster parents play a vital role within it.
Participants will learn why research consistently shows that kinship placements lead to better outcomes for children — including greater stability, improved mental health, lower rates of maltreatment, and stronger paths to permanency. You'll also get a clear picture of Colorado's current placement landscape, including the fact that nearly half of all children in out-of-home care are placed with kin.
Most importantly, this class addresses what Kin First means for you as a foster parent: why temporary placements are increasingly common, what kinds of youth are most likely to need traditional foster care, and how you can actively support family connections and participate in family finding.
You'll leave this session with:
- A clear understanding of Colorado's Kin First framework and the data behind it
- Realistic expectations about the children and youth you may be asked to care for
- Practical strategies for supporting kin connections and family finding
- Resources for additional training if you're caring for youth with higher behavioral health needs
Who Should Attend: Current and prospective foster parents, kinship caregivers, and anyone interested in Colorado's child welfare system.
Lindsey Tapp (Moderator)
Foster Care Education Specialist
CDHS
Lindsey Tapp is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Foster Care Education Specialist for the Division of Child Welfare at the Colorado Department of Human Services. In this role Lindsey oversees the expansion of Fostering Opportunities, an evidence-based school district intervention for students experiencing foster care. Lindsey has worked for over a decade in the Colorado Child Welfare system in both direct practice and systems level capacities. She has served children, youth and families as a Child Welfare Case Worker, family therapist, and supervisor of a large county foster care agency. Lindsey is passionate about supporting education and human services systems collaboration as it pertains to children, youth and families involved in the child welfare system.
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