LearnOutside CaregiverInside Parent
Know the Language: Custody, Guardianship, and Kinship Care
Plain-language definitions of the three terms families mix up most often.
About 4 min read
The #FKLM Family Blueprint
Module 4
Legal & Policy Literacy
Learn common terminology, understand systems, and identify reliable sources of help without confusing general information with individualized legal advice.
Topics in this module
Know the Language
Plain-language explanations of terms families hear often, from custody and guardianship to parole, reentry, and power of attorney.
Family & Caregiver Questions
Who may make school decisions, who may authorize medical care, what documents a caregiver may need, where to find jurisdiction-specific information, and when to seek legal assistance.
Staying Connected During Incarceration
Educational resources on phone communication, video communication, visitation, mail, and approved contacts. Rules vary by facility.
Reentry & Family Preparation
Preparing for release, identification and documentation, employment, housing, benefits, changing family roles, expectations, and rebuilding routines.
Find Reliable Help
Pathways to legal aid, government agencies, court self-help resources, reentry organizations, family advocacy organizations, and youth advocacy organizations.
Resources
Filter the full library- LearnOutside CaregiverInside Parent
Know the Language: Parole, Probation, and Reentry
What supervision terms generally mean and why the differences matter to a family's planning.
About 4 min read
- LearnOutside CaregiverInside Parent
Know the Language: Power of Attorney, Consent, and Authorization
The paperwork terms that decide who may act on a child's behalf.
About 5 min read
- Find HelpOutside Caregiver
Who May Make School and Medical Decisions?
The questions families should ask locally about decision-making authority.
About 4 min read
- Find HelpOutside CaregiverInside Parent
When a Family Should Seek Legal Assistance
Signals that a situation has moved beyond general information.
About 4 min read
- LearnOutside CaregiverInside Parent
Staying Connected: Calls, Video, Mail, and Visits
How contact generally works, and why every rule must be confirmed with the specific facility.
About 5 min read
- PlanInside ParentOutside Caregiver
Preparing the Family for Reentry
The practical and emotional preparation that starts well before a release date.
About 6 min read
- Find HelpOutside CaregiverInside Parent
Finding Reliable Help Near You
The categories of organizations families can search for, and how to tell a solid one.
About 4 min read
- LearnOutside CaregiverWhole Family
Free Family Guide: Navigating Incarceration
MFGP's free guide covering the first weeks: locating someone, first calls and visits, and supporting children.
About 3 min read
Table Talk
Agree as adults on one question you will ask a qualified professional. Choose a prompt to add to your Blueprint so it’s ready for your next call, visit, or letter.
The High, Low & Hope
“Tell me one good thing that happened this week, one thing that was hard, and one thing you're hoping happens next.”
Teach Me Something
“What's something you learned, discovered, or got better at recently that you could teach me?”
Future Us
“If we could plan one ordinary day together in the future, what would we do from breakfast until bedtime?”
Locate one organization in your area that answers that kind of question.
Your action space
My Family Blueprint
Write down five short things and they stay on this device. No account is needed, and nothing you type is sent anywhere. Please leave out legal, medical, and personal details.
A topic to come back to.
A conversation topic for your next call or visit.
A scholarship, program, or future goal.
Something to research or ask a professional later.
One practical family action.
Saved resources
0 resources saved to your Blueprint.
Nothing saved yet. Use “Save to My Blueprint” on any resource card and it will appear here.
Prototype note: notes are stored only in this browser. A future version could sync them to a secure MFGP account so families can pick up where they left off across devices.