Kinship caregivers often face financial changes and uncertainty when they begin to provide care for a relative's child. The resources in this section provide information for child welfare professionals and kinship caregivers on a number of services available to kinship families, including child care and housing assistance, food vouchers, and guardianship assistance programs.
Benefit Finder
Benefits.gov
Determines government benefit programs for which a kinship caregiver may be eligible.
Help for Families
Office of Family Assistance, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Lists the names of State TANF programs, provides States' telephone numbers and websites to contact for application information, and offers additional information on the TANF program.
Online Services for Key Low-Income Benefit Programs: What States Provide Online With Respect to SNAP, TANF, Child Care Assistance, Medicaid, CHIP, and General Assistance
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (2016)
Lists State websites, when available, for five low-income benefit programs. The webpage indicates whether States provide resources such as printable or online applications, screening tools, policies and procedures, and more.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture Offers information on applying for food assistance, including eligibility requirements, State hotlines, and an office locator.
Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance
Children’s Bureau (2018)
Discusses government benefits available to assist relative caregivers who have transitioned from foster parents to legal guardians.