What Kinship Care Is
Kinship care refers to the care of children by relatives or close family friends when parents cannot care for them. This includes grandparents, aunts and uncles, older siblings, and family friends raising children. Kinship care can be informal (no court involvement) or formal (child placed by the child welfare agency). The type of placement significantly affects available financial support.
Licensed Kinship Foster Care
Relatives who become licensed foster parents (meeting the same requirements as non-relative foster parents: background check, home study, training) receive the full foster care stipend — the same monthly payments as other foster parents. Medicaid for the child is automatic. This is the highest level of financial support and requires the most commitment. To become a licensed kinship foster parent, contact your county child welfare agency.
Options for Unlicensed Kinship Caregivers
Relatives caring for children informally or in less formal arrangements have fewer options but still have access to: TANF child-only cases (below), the children's SNAP benefits, Medicaid for the children (when placed by the state), and state-specific kinship caregiver support programs. Many states have "kinship navigator" programs that help relative caregivers understand and access all available benefits — call 211 and ask about kinship care resources.
TANF Child-Only Cases
A "child-only" TANF case provides a small monthly cash benefit for the child without considering the caregiver's income in the eligibility or benefit calculation. The benefit is calculated based only on the child's needs. Child-only cases are available when the caregiver (grandparent, relative) is not receiving TANF themselves. This is one of the most accessible financial supports for relative caregivers — apply at your county Department of Social Services.
SNAP for Kinship Families
Children living with relative caregivers who are not formally adopted can have their own separate SNAP household in some states — their benefits are calculated based on the children's income only, not the caregiver's. This is particularly valuable when the caregiver's income would otherwise make the household ineligible. Ask your SNAP office about "separate household" status for children in kinship care.
Medicaid for Children in Kinship Care
Children placed with relatives by the child welfare agency (formal kinship) are automatically enrolled in Medicaid regardless of the relative's income. Children in informal kinship arrangements can qualify for Medicaid or CHIP based on the children's portion of household income. Apply at healthcare.gov or your state Medicaid agency.
Support Resources
Grandparents and relatives raising children often face unique legal and financial challenges. Resources: Generations United (gu.org) for kinship family advocacy; AARP Grandfamilies Guide (aarp.org) for grandparent caregivers; your local AAA (eldercare.acl.gov) for grandparents 60+; and the Child Welfare Information Gateway (childwelfare.gov) for all kinship care resources. Many states have state-funded kinship support programs — ask your state child welfare agency.