Crafting the Message: An Exploration of Strategy, Language and Labels Related to Engaging the Public

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Crafting the MessageAn Exploration of
Strategy, Language and Labels Related to Engaging
the Public in Support of Kinship
CareGenerations UnitedApril 2005
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Objective

• To use professional creative talent and
  qualitative research expertise to help develop a
  message that could engage the public in support
  of grandparents and other relatives raising
  children

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Approach

• Brainstorming Among Experts
• Development of Messaging Framework
• Creation of language, labels and probes
• Qualitative research
• Synthesis and analysis

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• Message/Stimuli Development

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Probes/Arguments

• Themes tested
• In support of the child
• Keeping the family together
• In support of grandparents/relatives (the
  caregiver)
• Impact on society
• Directly confronting stereotypes

Rational Premise/Argument Negative


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Probes Tested

• In Support of the Child
• No matter why parents can no longer take care of
  their children death, divorce, neglect, abuse,
  or poverty it never, ever is the fault of the
  child.
• There are over 6 million children living in homes
  of grandparents or other relatives. We cannot
  turn our backs on these kids.
• There are over 2 million children being raised
  solely by their grandparents or other relatives,
  with no parent being present. We cannot turn our
  backs on them.
• If whats best for the child is to be raised by
  a grandparent or other relative we need to do all
  we can to make sure that happens.
• Its usually less traumatic for a child who has
  lost his/her parents to be raised by responsible
  relatives than to be thrown into the foster care
  system.
• A child who was being raised by his grandmother
  was quoted as saying, One day, I will take care
  of my grandma.
• Nobody can heal the pain of a child who has
  lost his or her parents better than a loving,
  responsible grandparent or relative.
• When we support a grandparent who is raising a
  grandchild, the person we are really supporting
  is the child.
• Every child deserves a safe and stable home. When
  that home cant be supplied by the parents it
  often is a responsible relative who steps-in.
• Children deserve loving, caring people to raise
  them. Often those people tend to be grandparents
  or other relatives.
• All too often when children are raised by a
  foster family they age out of that family.
  However, when responsible relatives raise
  children, theyll always have a family.

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Probes Tested

• In Support of the Grandparent/Relative
• Most of us would agree with the need to take care
  of children who have lost their parents.
  Shouldnt that care include supporting
  responsible relatives who step in to raise these
  children?
• There are over 2 million children being raised
  solely by their grandparents or other relatives,
  with no parent being present. They are trying to
  keep the family together and they deserve our
  help and support.
• The legal system is often too slow in giving
  appropriate, loving relatives the ability to care
  for kids whose parents cannot raise them,
  resulting in a denial of all kinds of services
  from health care to housing to education.
• Grandparents and other relatives who step in to
  raise children when the need arises need our
  support and deserve our respect.
• When parents are no longer able to be there for
  any reason it is often a relative who willingly
  stands-up and stands-in.
• Grandparents who step-in to raise their
  grandchildren are often left without any
  resources for their own retirement.
• A relative who steps-in to raise a child most
  often does so not only out of obligation, but
  because they truly know and love that child.
• Right in your own community there are neighbors
  struggling to raise children whose parents for
  one reason or another are unable to do so.
• A relative who steps in to raise a child is
  giving that child a second chance.
• Children left without parents are in grief and
  they hurt. A relative, who steps in to ease that
  pain, deserves our support.
• A Grandmother who raised her own grandchildren
  was quoted as saying, As long as these children
  live with me, they will never be a number.

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Probes Tested

• Keeping the Family Together
• All things being equal, it is always preferable
  to have a child remain with his or her own
  family.
• There is little sadder than children who are
  bounced around from family to family.
• Foster parents are, for the most part, performing
  a wonderful service, but if at all possible, the
  first attempt should be to try to keep children
  without parents in the family.
• Foster care should be a last resort. All attempts
  should first be made to place children in homes
  of caring relatives.
• When a child loses her parents she needs a
  loving, responsible caregiver to step in. When
  that caregiver is a relative, all the better.
• Responsible relatives should be the first choice
  of caregivers for children whose parents can no
  longer take care of them.
• Family taking care of family is natural, and is
  almost always preferable to foster care.
• With a little boost and understanding we can help
  families stay together.
• Having loving, responsible relatives step in to
  take care of children whose parents can no longer
  do so may be plan B, but sometimes plan B is the
  best option.
• Grandparents and other relatives can keep kids
  out of the foster care system.
• Keeping siblings and families together when
  something happens to the parents should be a
  major priority.
• When children lose their parents the first
  priority should be to try to keep the family
  together.
• Sure a child should be placed in a foster family
  if no relative is ready, willing and able to
  assume the responsibility. But if such a relative
  does exist, that would be preferable.
• There is truth in, blood is thicker than water.

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Probes Tested

• Impact on Society
• It not only may be better for children to be
  raised in relative-headed homes, it is better for
  the economy, as well. By raising their children,
  themselves, grandparents and other caregiver
  relatives save taxpayers over 6.5 billion each
  year.
• Children who are raised by relatives tend to
  become more productive citizens than children who
  are raised in foster homes.

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Probes Tested

• Directly Confronting Stereotypes
• If we keep believing that the apple doesnt fall
  far from the tree, were going to end up with a
  lot of bad apples.
• When a child loses his or her parents the pain is
  overwhelming. Being placed in the care of a
  loving, caring relative is probably the best way
  to start the healing process.
• Rather than being placed in foster care, its
  almost always better when children who lost their
  parents are raised by loving, responsible
  relatives.
• Sometimes wed like to just write off
  irresponsible, abusive or bad parents but does
  that mean we should write off their children?
• Its time we stop focusing so much on the sins of
  the parents and start putting some of that energy
  on the health and welfare of their children.
• Any one of us grandparent, uncle, aunt, cousin,
  sister, brother - could be unexpectedly
  confronted one day with the awesome
  responsibility of becoming the caregiver to a
  child.
• You cant assume that people who had problems
  raising their own children will have the same
  difficulties if they are called upon to raise
  their childrens children.
• Sometimes parents who had trouble raising their
  own children do a far better job if they are
  called upon to raise their grandchildren.
• Problem
• Child A lost her parents when they became
  hopelessly addicted. Child B lost her parents
  when they died in an accident.
• Is Child As need greater than, less than or
  equal to child B?
• Most Grandparents and other relatives raising
  children are doing a good job holding families
  together.

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Probes Tested

• Arguments Against Kinship Care
• Bad parenting runs in families and so when a
  child loses his parents it is best to remove him
  or her from that family.
• If a parent cant raise their own kids, thats
  their problem, not ours. They should not have had
  them in the first place.
• Grandparents that are forced to raise their own
  grandchildren might have it tough, but its not
  our responsibility to help support them. Our tax
  money can go just so far.
• If a parent didnt do a good job raising their
  own children, why would we think they would do
  differently with their grandchildren?
• Parents of children who grew up to be drug
  addicts are obviously not fit to raise the
  children of these children.
• Sometimes grandparents end up raising their
  grandchildren because they didnt do such a good
  job with their children to begin with.
• Sometimes grandparents end up repeating the same
  mistakes with grandchildren that they did with
  their own children.
• If a grandparent cannot afford to raise their
  grandchildren properly, then the grandchildren
  should be placed in foster homes.
• The apple doesnt fall far from the tree.

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Fund Names Tested

• Subsidized Guardianship 
• Remaining-Family Fund
• Remaining Family Care
• Remaining Family Support
• Continuing Family Care
• Keeping Family Together Fund
• New Family Fund
• Newfound Family Fund
• Family Goal-Keeper Fund
• Sustaining Family Fund
• Caring Expenses Fund
• Caring Support
• Living Expenses
• Living Support
• Caring Costs
• Kin Care
• Kinder Care
• Family Circle Support

In-Family Guardian Subsidy Keeper Care Family
Keeper Care House Hold Care House Holder
Care Family Guardian Fund Family Caregiver
Fund Family Guardian Assistance Family
Preservation Support Family Continuation
Care Family Emergency Care Family Crisis
Fund Family Emergency Support Family Emergency
Fund Step-in Parent Assistance Keeping-the-Family
Fund Stay-Put Care
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Guardian Labels Tested
Resource families Second chance families New
families Grandparent families Relatives as
parents Kin of choice Grand families Multi-generat
ional families Grand Parents Homemakers Home-Bui
lders Stand-in Parents Kin Parents

• Stand-Up Grandparent/Uncle/Aunt
• Step-in parents
• Family re-union
• Forever families
• Unity families
• Stand by families
• Living inheritance
• Families raising families
• Stay together families
• Family keepers
• Home keepers
• Family holders
• Kinship caregivers
• Support families

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Focus Group Sessions

• Grandparents/aunts/uncles raising children
• General public females and males 50
• New Orleans and NYC
• Five groups in all

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Research Process

• Issues on their minds
• Reactions to basic premise
• Reactions to Motivational Probes
• Reactions to labels for the caregivers/families
• Reactions to labels for the subsidy
• Exploring counter-arguments
• First individual, and then group response

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FINDINGS

• I. Attitudes towards Issues
• General Public
• Grandparents and Other Relatives
• II. Reactions to Concepts and Language

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General Public Whats On the Radar Screen

• When asked about issues facing America today,
  folks in New Orleans focused on concerns about a
  disintegrating culture, and its effect on the
  next generation
• The morals of today whats on TV, kids getting
  a wrong impression at such a young age.
• Trying to keep my children on track.
• No regard for authority.
• The role models out there drugs are my biggest
  concern.
• We have to go back to family.

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New Yorkers Worry About Money

• The economy
• Will it ever be as strong as it was?
• The quality of life is not as good as it was.
• Will my 22 year-old find a job?
• You cant buy a house today.
• Healthcare/Medicare/Socialized medicine
• Most people cant afford medical insurance.
• Social Security
• Oil prices
• Taxes

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Our Issue Not Top-of-Mind

• While most expressed awareness of and concerns
  about the issues facing America today, no one in
  the general public groups brought up the specific
  issue of children being raised by relatives until
  prompted
• While many are worried about the future of
  children today, this particular issue is just not
  top-of-mind for them

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Reactions to the Basic Premise

• Interestingly, individual gut reactions to the
  basic premise, while mixed, did not revolve
  around apple doesnt fall far... resistance
• In fact, when there was resistance, it related
  more to assumptions about the parents versus a
  multi-generational cycle of failure
• Fueled by the phrasing of the original statement,
  unable or unwilling...
• Grandparents and other relatives were largely
  exempt from any criticism

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Children Without ParentsIts a Reality

• When prompted with the basic premise, many
  readily acknowledged the problem and were aware
  that in most situations, these relatives are
  rescuing children from very unfortunate
  circumstances
• A lot are raising the children some of its
  drugs whos gonna take care of them but the
  grandparent?
• Unfortunately I think this is a reality today.
• Without the grandparents theyd be out on the
  street suffering.
• I have empathy. Its so important to give a
  child a foundation to grow on and a stable
  environment.
• We sometimes idealize the previous
  generationtheres a lot of different ways to
  live. Ive seen kids grow up with a grandparents
  whos very special and Ive seen it work very
  well.
• Most grandparents end up with the children
  because the parents are addicted to drugs.

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Whos to Blame? The Parents!

• On the other hand, many do blame selfish or
  money-obsessed parents for this predicament...
• Pressures, either economic or otherwise - the
  parents make the decision to disengage.
• There is a lot of divorce so the grandparents
  are coming in to help.
• Its a function of the Womens Movement they
  wanted careers and a family- they wanted
  everything and its caused tremendous problems in
  the family unit.

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Is it really an increasing problem?

• And there are a select few who are doubtful its
  a growing issue
• Not true I dont feel like theres more now
  than there was beforebut I feel like
  grandparents are playing a big role in childrens
  lives
• I wonder if it really is an increasing problem.

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In the final analysis...

• Yet, upon reflection, many soften their
  perspective, and their concern turns to the
  innocence of the child and the moral strength and
  sacrifice of the grandparents
• They dont have orphanages anymore its more
  left up to family.
• I wouldnt turn my back on them.
• The grandparents are more solid theyve
  learned whats right and wrong theyre wiser.
• They have old-fashioned values.
• Its very stressful for them.

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• The Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles Speak

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A Sense of Duty

• Mostly, these grandparents and other relatives
  exhibited a very strong sense of duty and
  familial responsibility...
• As adults theyre thanking us profusely for
  changing their lives. Its just the Christian
  thing to do. Somebody did it for me, now its my
  turn to serve.
• Its a choice to be involved or not. I want them
  to know Ill always be there for them.
• Need to make sure they know theyre loved its
  part of being a grandparent.
• Its the grandparents responsibility.
• Thats what family is for. Im thankful I can do
  it.
• Children deserve loving, caring people to raise
  them. Love makes the world go round.
• Its about taking care of your own.

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Somebody Has to Do It

• Sometimes there are relatives who dont wanna
  get involved in taking care of any more kids.
• When my kids were removed from my care, they
  were gonna be separated, I thank god my sister
  intervened and she ended up with both of them.
  Theres no words to describe to my sister what
  she did all those years to help me.

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The Challenges we Face

• Grandparents expressed the many challenges that
  come with the responsibility of raising a child
• Sometimes you might resent it, but its your
  child.
• Parental interference
• Im almost 65 years old, its rough, its a
  fight to not resent having to it.
• My freedom is cut off.
• You dont have a choice.
• Hes still your grandchild so you have to do
  whatever you can as best is possible to help
  him.
• Its hard to be an instant parent but I didnt
  have a choice rather than see her get lost in
  the system, I took her in.
• Sometimes theres no quality time for myself.
• They need clothing, they love to eat.
• We can be hungry but we still have the family
  together family is everything.
• The cycles got to be broken somewhere.

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But Its Worth It

• In the end, however, theyll accept the
  sacrifices, as opposed to sending the kids into
  foster care
• Foster care is never an option.
• Theres always that bind with family, theres no
  bond with foster care.
• They do get lost in there.
• It was either me taking them or them going into
  the system.
• Give them real love that comes out of the heart
  not because theyre getting paid for something.
• It was easier for them to adjust with me because
  Im there grandmother.
• There is a great deal of interest in joining a
  local group with other grandparents
• You can learn from other people because each
  child has their own personality and development.

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• 360 Probes Research

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In Support of the Child

• The overriding theme throughout this research,
  and the one that resonated most with the general
  public and grandparents, was to support the child
  and to never blame the child
• The child didnt ask to be brought into this
  world.
• A childs life is at stake.
• Often the things of the parents are thrown up in
  the kids faces its not their fault.

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In Support of the ChildTop Probe

• Both General Public and Grandparents/other
  relatives
• No matter why parents can no longer take care of
  their children death, divorce, neglect, abuse,
  or poverty it never, ever is the fault of the
  child.

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Keep the Family Together

• The theme of keeping the family together was
  equally strong as the theme of supporting the
  child
• And, the most appealing probes focused
  specifically on keeping the family together for
  the sake of the child
• Preferably its a blood relative theres a
  glue there.
• The child can stay in an environment theyre
  used to.
• They should go to the grandparents before foster
  care.

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Keep the Family TogetherTop Probes

• General Public
• Keeping siblings and families together when
  something happens to the parents should be a
  major priority.
• Grandparents/other relatives
• Its usually less traumatic for a child who has
  lost his/her parents to be raised by responsible
  relatives than to be thrown into the foster care
  system.
• Both General Public and Grandparents/other
  relatives
• Foster care should be a last resort. All attempts
  should first be made to place children in homes
  of caring relatives.

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Supporting the GrandparentFor the Childs Sake

• Those who supported the grandparent or relative
  were most focused on supporting them financially,
  for the childs sake
• Some cant afford to take the child and they let
  them go into the foster care systembut if they
  had support
• If the mother is not capable, taxes should
  support this.
• However, generalized probes about grandparents
  were sometimes rejected
• Not all relatives are necessarily giving the
  child a second chance, they can be abusive.

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Defying Stereotypes to Support the Child

• The most favored probes along the theme of
  challenging stereotypes pointed the focus to the
  child
• General Public
• Problem Child A lost her parents when they
  became hopelessly addicted. Child B lost her
  parents when they died in an accident. Is Child
  As need greater than, less than or equal to
  child B?
• Both General Public and Grandparents/other
  relatives
• Its time we stop focusing so much on the sins of
  the parents and start putting some of that energy
  on the health and welfare of their children.

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Most Unfavorable Probes

• Some probes were just too cold and unemotional
  for people to grasp onto, and were perceived by
  many as untrue
• If we keep believing that the apple doesnt fall
  far from the tree, were going to end up with a
  lot of bad apples.
• There is truth in blood is thicker than water.
• However, while this probe was rejected by some
  grandparents and other relatives, it did ring
  true for other grandparents and other relatives

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Impact on Society Who Cares?

• Language that centered around the financial
  impact this issue has on society did not resonate
  emotionally with these groups, and prompted many
  in the general public to argue in support of the
  child
• I could really care less how much money we save,
  its the welfare of the child that matters.
• These children need stability and that to me is
  a compelling reason.
• I want the facts. If I cant have the facts,
  theyre just generalities.

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Countering Resistance Its All About the Child

• These children need stability and that to me is
  a compelling reason.
• Children should be protected.
• Children are a precious commodity.
• Children should be raised in a nurturing
  environment where values are taught and character
  is built.

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• An Archetypal View

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Archetypes Apply Here

• Fortunately, our most critical insight is
  supported by deep psychological theory
• And the opportunity to brand this effort in
  archetypal terms

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(No Transcript)
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An Archetypal Standpoint

• In order for Generations United to evoke an
  emotional reaction it is helpful to look at the
  message from an archetypal standpoint
• Archetypes offer the opportunity for creating
  profound and powerful psychological value in
  terms of the emotional connection, and they also
  have enormous practical value, in terms of
  helping the entire enterprise latch on to a
  concept they can recognize, believe in, and
  embrace.
• The unconscious power of an archetype is immense
• Generations United has a unique opportunity to
  latch onto an archetypal message that children
  naturally embody
• The Innocent archetype

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Children are the Innocent

• The archetype of the Innocent is universal,
  symbolic and speaks to a deep psychic imprint in
  everyone, instantly evoking emotional reaction
  and creating meaning
• A child represents innocence just by its very
  nature...
• Especially in a situation where the public
  recognizes that the misdoings of the parents are
  never the fault of the child
• Children are dependent and should be able to
  take it for granted that their parents and other
  relatives will care for them

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Children are the Innocent

• Evoking the Innocent archetype in messages for
  this cause can make this issue come alive for the
  public
• Most people feel an intrinsic need to protect
  innocent children and give them everything they
  need, to keep them innocent and safe as long as
  they can
• Grandparents and other relatives can provide this
  protection by taking children out of an unstable,
  unsafe environment and providing a safe and
  secure home
• The general public can also provide protection by
  offering their support to the cause

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Children are the Innocent

• The use of the Innocent archetype in Generations
  Uniteds messaging can also touch on the optimism
  of the Innocent
• Give these children a chance in life by helping
  to remove them from a negative situation and
  provide them with protection and love
• Give the grandparents a chance to reinvent the
  meaning of home for these children
• The innocence of a child has a special poignancy
  it is the best of new beginnings, validating
  ones own existence and the continuity of life
• Grandparents, along with the publics support,
  can set the continuity of life in motion by
  providing a home for their grandchildren

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• Guardian/Caretaker Labels

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Favored Guardian Labels

• Labels that focus on the family were the
  favorites among all groups
• Stay Together Families
• Families Raising Families
• Some guardian labels that were favored by the
  general public were much less accepted among
  grandparents and other relatives
• Stand-up Grandparent/Aunt/Uncle
• Grand Parents
• Forever Families
• Multi-generational families

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Stand-Up Grandparent/Aunt/Uncle

• Many responded very favorably to this concept...
• I did stand up with these kids when no one
  else was around.
• We stood up and took the obligation other
  relatives could have done it. Were leaders,
  responsible adults, we took charge.
• Okay. Ill play hardball. Im here.

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Weve always been there

• But some felt that stand-up can have a negative
  connotation
• Stand-up doesnt sound like blood.
• I took it offensive. Most grandparents are there
  all the time.
• It accuses you of being irresponsibleI have
  always been there. Why do I have to stand-up?
  Youre always there as a grandparent.
• It sounds like you have to.

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Rejected Guardian Labels

• The most rejected labels among all groups were
  those that could have a second meaning
• Family keepers, Home keepers (ie. Housekeeper)
• Homemakers (ie. Housewife)
• Homebuilders (ie. Construction)
• Any label with kin or kinship

52
Kinship doesnt always mean family

• Kinship does not resonate as a family word
• Its too impersonal, no feeling of attachment,
  kinship is like friendship.
• Its like kinfolk - it doesnt feel connected,
  sounds like a social service term.
• I dont use the word kinship, I use
  relative.
• It could be far removed.
• And kin can hold an entirely different meaning in
  some parts of the United States
• It has a southern connotation, its a redneck
  term.

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• Attitudes Toward, and Names for the Subsidy

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The General PublicSupporting Taxes Going to this
Cause

• No one in the general public groups opposed taxes
  going towards a fund to provide financial help to
  grandparents and other relatives in need
• In fact, there was unanimous support for the fund
  going to those who needed the help
• Youre going to find abuse in all the programs,
  children should be raised in a nurturing
  environment where values are taught and character
  is built.
• Absolutely.
• When the mother forks over her rights and the
  grandparent has legal rights, if the mother is
  not capable, taxes should support.
• These grandparents embody stability, and that to
  me is a compelling reason.
• There should be more support within the
  community in taking on this responsibility.
• If grandparents know they were getting support
  for this, it might make their decision easier.
• They should get whatever breaks are coming
  because youre indirectly supporting the youth
  coming up and its just not easy.
• Even though its family, they still need help.
• Take it out of foster care.
• Social security is not enough to raise a child
  on.

55
Grandparents and Other Relatives POV The
Subsidy

• Grandparents and other relatives support the idea
  of a federal fund for caregivers, but are
  especially focused on supporting only those in
  need
• Those who would not necessarily qualify for
  financial assistance are also very much in
  support of the fund for those who would qualify
• Not just me, but the average grandparent, if
  they actually took the job of raising their
  grandkid - I think it would have to be done
  legal, like a legal guardian - then maybe if the
  government wanted to step in and pay them to
  raise the child
• Yeah, I think for grandparents. As far as I was
  concerned, I had kids over, and I cooked for 20,
  so to me - sure, if it was a financial strain,
  but it wasnt my wife and I were both working.
  But yeah, for these guys, for grandparents, yeah
  - definitely.
• I wouldnt go for it because my grandchildren
  have parents supporting that support them. Now if
  their parents wasnt supporting them, that would
  be something different.
• If I didnt get income for the grandchildren I
  wouldnt be able to keep them, not on my salary.
• Maybe in the right position if you dont have
  any money...
• How can you do it without money?

56
Guardianship Fund Names

• Names that focus on keeping the family together
  and/or clearly communicate who the fund is for
  are embraced the most among all groups
• Subsidized Guardianship
• Keeping the Family Together Fund
• Family Guardian Assistance
• Family Preservation Support
• The General Public also favors
• Family Caregiver Fund

57
Guardianship Fund Names

• Though one person pointed out that the word
  Assistance makes it sound like welfare
• Fund sounds more dignified.
• And as one general public participant put it
• Wheres the grandchild here? Grandchild
  support.

58
Conclusions and Recommendations

• We need to raise awareness of this issue
• And frame it, before someone else does
• In doing so, first, do no harm
• parents unable or unwilling fuels the greatest
  area of potential resistance blaming parents
• kinship care is neutral, at best, and doesnt
  win any friends to the cause
• growing problem invites counter-argument, and
  may distract from the central emotion of the issue

59
Conclusions and Recommendations (contd)

• The mantra of Generations United, related to this
  issue, should be Its about the child.
• All communication to the public at large should
  focus on the plight of the child, and the welfare
  of the child
• Evoke the power of the Innocent archetype
• By-pass the issue of the parents
• Focus on keeping the family together for the
  sake of the child

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Conclusions and Recommendations (contd)

• When appropriate, use language that evokes the
  values and strength of character of grandparents,
  aunts, uncles and other relatives who step up to
  the plate
• Among the general public, there doesnt seem to
  be much leverage in less emotion-laden language
  and assertions
• Tax savings
• Raising productive citizens

61
Moving Forward

• Use the Creative Brief as the guiding drive for
  all communication
• Use a common vocabulary
• And a shared understanding of why that vocabulary
  works

62
Creative Brief

• WHO ARE WE TALKING TO?
• The general public aged 50 and policy makers
  who can have an effect on kinship care
  legislation.
• WHAT DO THEY THINK NOW?
• I believe the dissolution of the family unit is
  one of the biggest issues facing America today
  and often that dissolution is due to the
  inability or unwillingness of the parents to live
  up to their responsibilities. Whatever the cause
  , the children are the ones who end up suffering
  the most. However, I dont know where to begin to
  help fix this problem.

63
Creative Brief (contd)

• WHAT DO WE WANT THEM TO
• THINK / FEEL / DO IN THE FUTURE?
• All children deserve to be raised
  in a safe and secure home. When parents are
  unable to create such a home, it is often
  grandparents or other caring relatives who
  step-up and take on the responsibility. By doing
  so, they not only keep the family together, but
  provide the love and stability that the children
  so desperately need. I would hope that our
  government is doing all that it can to make sure
  these wonderful people are properly supported so
  that they can give their children a fighting
  chance to grow up strong, healthy and happy.
• INSIGHT
• We are wired as a species to care for our
  young. All arguments supporting kinship care
  should thus primarily focus on the well-being of
  the children.

64
Best Expressions of the Brief

• OVERALL
• In terms of general emphasis it seems
  more than clear that any communication regarding
  kinship care should primarily center on the
  welfare of the child. We neednt be drawn into a
  debate about the goodness or evil of the parents,
  but rather, aggressively bring the discussion
  around towards the child. Here we can talk about
  the needs of the children, their innocence, and
  their potential to overcome their fate with
  proper and loving care from relatives. (The
  implication here - and it should only be implied
  - is that families should be the first choice
  over general foster care)
• The most chosen probe in this area was, No
  matter why parents can no longer take care of
  their children death, divorce, neglect, abuse,
  or poverty it never, ever is the fault of the
  child.
• The culpability of the parents might hinder
  support of kinship care but the language used
  above seems to help people jump over the
  parental issue while focusing them on the welfare
  of the children.

65
Best Expressions (contd.)

•      PROGRAM NAMES
• Fund seems to work well. The words
  assistance and subsidy were not rejected out
  right but using a word like fund may eventually
  keep the issue from falling into a
  welfare-bashing one.
• Surprisingly, subsidized guardianship fared
  well as a program name, although for practical
  and political purposes a name that includes the
  word, family, such as Keeping the Family
  Together Fund or Family Preservation Support
  might be a smarter way to go. It also helps
  separate GU from general foster care.
• GUARDIAN LABELS
• In terms of labels for the guardians
  themselves, once again family names such as Stay
  Together Families and Families Raising
  Families performed best. Tricky phrases or ones
  with double meanings such as Homemakers,
  Homebuilders, and Homekeepers did not do
  well. Those kinds of phrases need too much
  explanation, which invariably costs too much
  money. Stand-Up Grandparents and other Stand-Up
  relatives had mixed reactions, although some were
  very positive. This area might deserve more
  exploration.
• RED FLAG
• Kinship is essentially a dog. Lose it!
• Previous experience seems to indicate that your
  story would be best told by showing individual
  children in lieu of featuring the enormity of the
  problem.
• Family is a difficult word to reject no
  matter what your political bent.