I am currently raising my grandchildren/relatives. Do I qualify for any financial assistance?

Publication Date: August 3, 2016
Current as of:

Answer

More than two million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends. Relatives are the preferred resource for children who must be removed from their birth parents because this helps maintain the children's connections with their families, increases stability, and minimizes the trauma of family separation.

Kinship care refers to the care of children by relatives or, in some jurisdictions, close family friends (often referred to as fictive kin). This arrangement can occur with or without the involvement of a child welfare agency, depending on the situation. Kinship care may be informal, voluntary, or formal.

Although many grandparents or other relatives struggle with the cost of raising family members, there are various programs available to assist with their basic family needs. Child Welfare Information Gateway, a service of the Children's Bureau, provides a factsheet, Kinship Caregivers and the Child Welfare System , that describes the various forms of kinship care and types of financial support that may be available to relative caregivers. Information Gateway also maintains resources for relative and kin caregivers .

The requirements for receiving these payments vary from state to state. Several factors, including the caregiver's income and the legal status of the caregiving arrangement, may determine a relative's eligibility for some type of financial support.

Many states have a kinship care contact that may be able to answer questions related to sources of financial assistance, and some state websites provide specific kinship care information and links to relevant organizations. The Information Gateway website provides a listing of kinship care contacts and programs by state.

In addition, the Grandfamilies.org State Law and Policy Center compiles free and online resources in support of grandfamilies within and outside the child welfare system.

2-1-1 is a free social services hotline available in most states that connects callers to a wide range of community resources, including basic services and assistance benefits.

The USA.gov portal offers information on how to obtain a bank loan, housing, and other related topics.

Similarly, Benefits.gov , the official benefits website of the U.S. Government, provides online access to information across benefit categories by state.

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