Understanding Kinship Care, Foster Care, and Placement

Trainer: Katie Larson, SD Department of Social Services

Katie Larson serves as the Permanency Program Specialist for the South Dakota Department of Social Services, Division of Child Protection Services. She brings more than 12 years of experience in child welfare and has worked in a variety of roles supporting children, youth, and families involved in the child protection system. Her professional background includes both direct service work with families as well as leadership and supervision of programs focused on foster care, kinship care, adoption, and foster home licensing.

In her current role, Katie focuses on strengthening permanency efforts across the state by supporting policies, programs, and partnerships that help children achieve safe, stable, and lasting family connections. She has a strong passion for kinship care and believes that children benefit greatly when they are able to remain connected to their family, culture, and community whenever it is safe and appropriate.

Katie played a key role in the development and implementation of Kinship South Dakota, a Kinship Navigator Program, which was created to help relative and kinship caregivers access resources, services, and supports needed to care for children. She continues to work closely with community partners, service providers, and caregivers to strengthen kinship supports across South Dakota and improve outcomes for children and families.