A kinship caregiver is a relative who is raising the child of another family member. The most common example is a grandparent raising a grandchild. Another kind of kinship caregiver is called fictive kin.  This is a non-relative that the child has a relationship with considers to be like a family member. Even if that person is not a blood relative, they can still be a kinship caregiver.

Kinship care arrangements can be informal or formal. An informal kinship care arrangement does not involve the Department of Human Services (DoHS) or the court system. For a formal kinship arrangement, the relatives may have court-ordered guardianship or may be certified foster parents through DoHS for a child in state custody.

Yes. You should apply for a TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) caretaker relative check. In West Virginia the TANF Program is called WV Works. You can do this at your local DoHS office. DoHS will require documentation verifying the child is living with you as well as verification of your blood relationship to the child, like birth certificates. TANF caretaker relative checks are cash assistance provided to people who care for children. These checks begin at $417 for the first child per month, with a small increment for each additional child, for a maximum of $811 per month for 8 or more children.

TANF child only grants do not consider the caretaker’s income. The cash assistance is provided once a month via an EBT (Electronic Banking Transfer) card or direct deposit.

If DoHS did not place the child in your care and initiate an abuse and neglect action against the child’s parents, then the only benefits you would be eligible for would be income-based assistance through the DoHS. If you are over-income for any assistance, reach out to your local Healthy Grandfamilies program or to WV 211 for assistance.

If DoHS has placed the child in your care and filed an abuse and neglect action against the child’s parents, you should apply for a TANF caretaker relative check at your local DoHS. You will initially be denied because you are not a blood relative of the child. Once you are denied, you can apply to receive a Kinship Check through Social Services. You can receive this Kinship Check while you wait to be approved as a foster care placement. The Kinship Check begins at $417 for the first child, then increases per child per month. It is an emergency stipend provided to assist with care for the child while foster care paperwork is processed.

If you are a certified foster parent, you may receive a Foster Care Subsidy of $790 per child per month for children ages 0-5; $851 per child, per month for children ages 6-12, and $942.00 per child per month for children ages 13-21. The child is also eligible for Medicaid and School Clothing Vouchers. You may also receive a one-time clothing allowance of up to $300 per child when the child enters your home, if it is the first out of home placement for the child after removal. Childcare assistance may be available if the foster parent is employed or in school. You can also be reimbursed for mileage when you take the child to supervised visits with family and to the doctor.

A child remaining in foster care may also be eligible for the Foster Care Tuition Waiver program. If the child qualifies, this program will allow the child to go to a West Virginia public institution of higher education.

DoHS will also pay a one-time fee of up to $2,000 for legal fees associated with obtaining permanent placement for the child through guardianship or adoption.

A guardianship is the transfer of legal responsibility for a child to someone other than the parents. This is a legally binding relationship. It allows the guardian to have custody and make decisions about the child.

For more information, including when a guardianship might be necessary, please read the article on Infant Guardianships.

You can apply for the TANF/WV WORKS kinship relative caretaker check. If you are already receiving these benefits, they will continue once you obtain guardianship.

Adoption is a legal process where someone other than a birth parent receives all legal rights and responsibilities for a child, as if the child were their natural child. An adoption permanently ends the rights of the birth parents to the adopted child.

Please read the article on Adoption for more information on adopting a child.

During the process of adoption, you will continue to receive the WV WORKS Relative Caretaker Benefits. Once the adoption is complete, the WV WORKS benefit will end. If the new parent receives Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the newly adopted child will be eligible to receive a check on the parent’s behalf.

Please read the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) & Supplemental Security Income (SSI) article for more information.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take unpaid leave for up to 12 weeks. If your employer is covered by FMLA, you may be able to take leave to care for an adopted or foster child.

If you are receiving WV WORKS and need help with a legal issue, ask your WV WORKS caseworker for a referral. If you do not receive WV WORKS and you need more assistance, please call our Application Line at 1-866-255-4370 to apply for services. You can also apply online.