Resources to Help a New Kinship/Grandfamily

• By: USAging
• On: 01/17/2025 15:26:21
• In: Hot Topics in Aging

Kinship/grandfamilies form when relatives or close family friends raise children whose parents are unable to do so for a variety of reasons, including substance use, child welfare involvement, incarceration, mental and/or physical challenges, divorce, parental death and/or military deployment. Often these “kin caregivers” (as these relatives and friends are sometimes called) welcome children at a moment's notice—giving them little opportunity to plan for the children's arrival or learn about available assistance.
 
AAA and Title VI staff can help new kinship/grandfamilies by using no-cost resources from the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network.
 
Benefits for Kinship/Grandfamilies

• Webinar: Legal Relationships and Public Benefits for Kinship/Grandfamilies
• Fact Sheet: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Kinship/ Grandfamilies,  Kinship/Grandfamilies and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
• Fact Sheet: School Breakfast and Lunch Programs for Grandfamilies and Kinship Families

 
State-Specific Resources

• Fact Sheets: GrandFacts
• Tip Sheet: Becoming a Grandfamily: First Steps, Legal Options for Grandfamily & Kin Caregivers
• Tip Sheet: How Relative/Kin Caregivers Can Access Services and Advocate for Native Children in Their Care

 
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