Ohio has a program where you turn over any child support that may come in and they pay you a stipend monthly. It's called Kinship Care and they do not take into account your income. Since I didn't ever get any of that child support it works for me and it's also more than the court awarded support.

Agree with BabaKnits. Minnesota has a program called "Child Only" grant. We are also not low income but it only counts GD's income. Bio has his income garnished for child support for her, when he feels like working. The county sends the small amount to me, then subtracts it $ for $ from her "Child Only" grant. I expected her child support to stop when she turned 18 but the county informed me they would keep collecting it until all of his unpaid past child support was collected.

Illinois hasTANF(temporary assistance for needyfamilies).it's about$127 per child per month.youshould also get medical care for children from state. you can become kinship foster parents. compensation is less than normal foster benefits. since custody is determined by state you need to talk to them. you can also contact State Department of Aging as they work with grandparents. Age is not important.

I am raising two grandsons. My daughter gets child support for both and uses it as her weekly allowance. I have never pressed for legal custody of the boys because Im afraid she would run with them instead of turning over her child support. Sad reality.

CalvinsNina, I totally understand. When I first convinced my daughter to let me take GD (4 years old at the time), she was getting Social Security and child support for her. I told her she could keep everything, just give me her medical card. We had been providing everything for GD since her birth, so it wasn't a huge change financially. Just her preschool care but I received a discount as I worked there in the infant room.

Check to see if your state offers Kinship Foster Care programs. You must be certified for foster care, usually a 33-hour course with strict in-home inspections required. There is also continuing education that you must complete. Program may require each child has a separate bed (not a futon, etc.), meds and dangerous chemicals must be under lock and key, you must be CPR-certified and fingerprinted, and you deal with caseworkers/social services. The daily per diem is similar to that of a foster parent raising a non-bio child and can be $500-$600/month per child. You also would get help with school lunches, paying for daycare, and should qualify for your state's version of Medicaid.

If you adopt after becoming certified, they will pay all legal fees for the adoption, saving about $1,500 per child for legal adoption. Once you have adopted your grandchild, the payments do not stop but continue, along with Medicaid benefits, until the child is 18.

To the best of my knowledge, you should be eligible for other assistance based on the fact that your grandchildren have NO INCOME. They do not count your income, just your grandchildren's income. If they are under five years old, you should get WIC also.

Each state is different, and each rate of per diem is different; I believe this is funded by the Federal government.

So search your state's website for a Kinship Foster Care program, and good luck! You are doing a wonderful, wonderful thing!

Good luck!

We are already Licensed foster parents. We have been for a couple of years. We have even adopted one son from foster. But when my daughter and her husband went to jail/prison we had to tell our foster agency that we could no longer take any more foster children because we had to take in our three grandchildren. Our grandchildren are not in foster care so we cant collect any Kinship or foster payments. I did see the information about the child only grant. I called the caseworker who is handling our medicaid application to ask about the grant. She has never returned a call so far though.

MichiganG, they ARE awful at returning calls. In MN it's a separate worker for medical and for child only grant. If you can stomach it and have a few hours to spare, you could go in person and apply for your grands. You should start receiving financial help within a few weeks along with medical for them.

CalvinsNinna, I felt the same way you do about filing for legal custody in the beginning. Not applying was a mistake. I don't know what state you are in but you can go to Family Court's self help center for no cost, and file for emergency custody. This will stop your daughter from taking them while you wait for the hearing for permanent custody. If you have had them solely for at least a year, this should be granted.

Hi Michigan granny. I'm also in MI & in much the same boat.
Although I have my one & only grandson who recently turned 4. Lived with us since birth.
We have guardianship that will be up for renewal soon.
I've pretty much sacrificed everything to stay home & raise my wee one. He is the apple of our eye of course.
Being middle income I don't see much help.
Like most we have other financial responsabilities such as my youngest daughters student loan. It's just not possible to make it on one income.
Although I'm not working because of my health I was able to take some small jobs on that accomadated my crazy body. That little bit really helped. I also help those in need just because it's the right thing to do. Ill admit it bothers me to not be able to do so anymore. With this said my grandson comes first. He holds my heart in his little Palm.
Now I cannot do so & lord knows day care is outrageous.
My daughter does not hold down a job enough to help.
On top of that to ask for support we feel would hold her back from getting on her feet. It's beyond frustrating.
I'll have to formally introduce myself here but wanted you to know your in good company.
God bless you all for what you do.
Sammy

Foster parenting as a grandparents is different than general foster care parenting. You don't have to take as many classes and you get half the compensation. The children are considered homeless and that is how they qualify for Medicaid and get free medical care. If you adopt them, your income is counted and you may have difficulty getting funding.If you hAve guardianship, the parent can take the children back.. nowhere in the Constitution, state or federal does it state grandparents have rights. You want to have court ordered custody which means the would have to go to court to petition the children be returned to them. Many have had success with Defacto courts where the judge can rule custody based on length of time you ha e had child and how much parent has been involved.