Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Maryland: Kinship Care, TANF, and Support

Last updated: 7 April 2026

Bottom Line: If you are a grandparent in Maryland raising a grandchild, the main help usually comes through Maryland’s kinship care system, child-only Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), Maryland Health Connection, school and medical consent forms, and caregiver support through Maryland Access Point. Maryland does not appear to offer one separate statewide cash program just for grandparents, so the right first move is to figure out whether your case is an informal family arrangement, a formal child welfare placement, or a court case.

Emergency help now

• If the child is unsafe, abandoned, or you think abuse or neglect is happening, call Maryland’s child abuse and neglect line at 1-800-917-7383 or use the local Department of Social Services office list right away.
• If the child is now living with you full-time, start a MarylandBenefits application for cash, food, and other benefits, and call 1-800-332-6347 if you cannot do it online.
• If the child needs medical care or insurance today, call Maryland Health Connection at 1-855-642-8572, and ask your school or DSS office for the school or health-care kinship affidavit if you do not have custody papers yet.

What this help actually looks like in Maryland

Start by sorting your case into the right lane: private family care, DSS foster placement, or court-ordered custody or guardianship. Maryland’s official kinship care page points families to child-only TCA, formal kinship or foster care benefits, guardianship assistance, health coverage, and local navigator help rather than a separate grandparent-only grant.

Best Maryland path by situation

Situation	Best Maryland option	Where to start
The child moved in with you privately and you need money fast	Child-only TCA, SNAP, Medicaid or MCHP, school and health affidavits	MarylandBenefits, Maryland Health Connection, and your local DSS office
DSS removed the child and placed the child with you	Formal kinship care or restricted-relative foster care	The child’s DSS caseworker and the formal kinship care program
The child will likely stay with you long-term	Custody, guardianship, or Guardianship Assistance Program if the child is in foster care	Maryland Courts Family Help Centers and your DSS guardianship unit
You are age 55 or older and need respite, support, or local services	Family Caregiver Support Program through the Area Agency on Aging	Maryland Access Point at 1-844-627-5465

• Best immediate takeaway: If the child lives with you full-time and is not already in foster care, ask about a child-only TCA case first.
• One major rule: Maryland says the child-only TCA grant for kinship care is not based on the caregiver’s income, but the caregiver must apply for child support.
• One realistic obstacle: Schools, doctors, and benefit workers often ask for custody papers even when Maryland allows kinship affidavits and child-only cases without legal custody.
• One useful fact: Maryland’s 2026 Annual Progress and Services Report says the state had 4,497 caretaker-relative TCA cases in calendar year 2024, including 907 in Baltimore City, 615 in Baltimore County, and 480 in Prince George’s County.
• Best next step: Call your local DSS office and Maryland Access Point in the same week.

Who qualifies in plain language

You may have a workable Maryland path if most of these are true:

• You are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, adult sibling, cousin, or other relative caring for a child 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• The child lives in your home full-time.
• The parent is unable or unwilling to care for the child because of a serious family problem.
• You need help with cash, food, health insurance, school enrollment, medical consent, child care, or legal authority.
• If you are using Maryland’s school kinship affidavit, the child must have been a Maryland resident before the informal kinship arrangement and the situation must fit one of the law’s listed hardships.
• If the child is already in foster care, your path changes. You may qualify for formal kinship care benefits or the Guardianship Assistance Program instead of child-only TCA.

Best first steps after a grandparent takes in a child

Do these steps in the first few days if you can:

• Figure out your lane. Ask: Is this a private family arrangement, a DSS placement, or a court case?
• Apply for child benefits right away. Use MarylandBenefits for TCA, SNAP, and related help. If you cannot manage a portal, go to your local DSS office or call 1-800-332-6347.
• Get health coverage moving. Apply for the child through Maryland Health Connection or call 1-855-642-8572.
• Handle school authority. Ask the school for the Informal Kinship Care Affidavit if you do not have custody papers.
• Handle doctor authority. Ask your local health department or DSS for the Consent for Health Care Affidavit.
• Call for local help. Ask your county DSS for the kinship navigator or use the local office finder. If you are 55 or older, call Maryland Access Point.
• Start a paper folder. Keep copies of every notice, screenshot, form, and name of every worker you talk to.

Financial help for grandparents raising grandchildren

Apply for child-only cash help first unless DSS already placed the child with you through foster care. In Maryland, that is often the fastest realistic money path for informal kinship families.

Child-only TANF for grandparents raising grandchildren

• What it is: Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) is Maryland’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. For kinship families, the key version is the child-only grant.
• Who can get it or use it: Maryland says a relative caregiver caring for a child full-time can apply for a child-only grant, and the benefit is not based on the caregiver’s income. Legal custody is not required.
• How it helps: The adult is not included in the grant. Under Maryland’s current public TCA payment schedule, the maximum monthly amount with no countable income is $339 for one child, $596 for two, $753 for three, and $902 for four.
• How to apply or use it: Apply through MarylandBenefits, in person at your local DSS office, or by mail, fax, or drop-off.
• What to gather or know first: Bring ID, proof the child lives with you, proof of relationship if you have it, the child’s birth certificate or school or medical records, and the parent’s information if known. Maryland’s kinship page says you must apply for child support. Maryland also says that while you receive TCA, child support collected for that case is kept by the state as reimbursement, so do not be surprised if those payments do not come straight to you during the TCA period.

Maryland child-only TCA maximum monthly grant schedule

Children in the grant	Maximum monthly TCA amount
1 child	$339
2 children	$596
3 children	$753
4 children	$902

Source: Maryland DHS TCA benefit schedule, effective January 1, 2025. These are maximum amounts. Your case can vary.

Can grandparents get foster care payments?

• What it is: If the child is in formal kinship care, DSS keeps legal custody and places the child with you as kin. That is different from a private family arrangement.
• Who can get it or use it: Grandparents can get foster care-type payments only if they are approved as a formal kinship or restricted-relative foster provider. A private informal caregiver does not get foster care board just because the child moved in.
• How it helps: Maryland says formal kinship caregivers can receive a monthly care stipend, respite, training, support groups, and case management. The latest publicly posted statewide board-rate chart on the DHS site still shows minimum monthly board rates of $887 for children through age 11 and $902 for children age 12 and older in regular or restricted-relative foster care.
• How to apply or use it: Contact the child’s caseworker or your county’s resource parent or foster care unit through the local DSS office directory.
• What to gather or know first: Ask what approval stage you are in, whether you are licensed or pending clearances, and what payment category the child has. If a worker gives you a rate, ask for the written board-rate policy or payment category number.

Guardianship assistance for older caregivers

• What it is: The Maryland Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP) gives ongoing financial help to certain relatives who take legal guardianship of a child leaving foster care.
• Who can get it or use it: This is for relative caregivers of a child who is in DSS custody. Maryland policy says the caregiver must have been an approved kinship provider or foster family for the child for the last six consecutive months before guardianship, and the caregiver must sign the guardianship assistance agreement before the court awards guardianship.
• How it helps: Maryland policy says the monthly payment is negotiated based on the child’s needs and cannot exceed 100% of the regular foster care board rate. The policy also allows up to $2,000 in nonrecurring guardianship expenses for an IV-E eligible child, such as legal costs. Medicaid or Maryland Medical Assistance may also continue in eligible cases.
• How to apply or use it: Ask the child’s LDSS caseworker or guardianship unit to screen the case for GAP. In Baltimore City, the public FAQ lists the guardianship unit at 443-423-5054. In other counties, use the local DSS office finder.
• What to gather or know first: Ask whether the child is IV-E eligible, whether the agreement will include Medicaid, what yearly paperwork is required, and whether you should name a successor guardian. That last point matters for older adults. Maryland’s GAP policy lets families add a successor guardian in advance, which can protect the child if the guardian dies or becomes incapacitated.

Child support and Social Security benefits

• What it is: Child support and Social Security are separate from TCA, but they can matter a lot for grandparents raising children.
• Who can get it or use it: A caregiver may be able to pursue child support through the Maryland Child Support Administration. A child may qualify for Social Security survivor benefits or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if a parent died or is disabled.
• How it helps: These benefits can be larger and longer-lasting than a small cash grant.
• How to apply or use it: For child support, start with DSS or call 1-800-332-6347. For Social Security, call 1-800-772-1213.
• What to gather or know first: Bring death certificates, court orders, paternity papers, addresses, and as much parent information as you have.

Kinship care payments and kinship navigator help in this state

Call a kinship navigator early. In Maryland, navigators help families sort out benefits, referrals, school issues, and local supports before problems pile up.

Maryland’s Kinship Navigator Services

• What it is: Maryland’s Kinship Navigator Services is an information and referral program for kinship caregivers.
• Who can get it or use it: Maryland says any kinship caregiver in the community who is not a formal kinship provider can use these services, and local DSS offices have a navigator or community vendor.
• How it helps: Navigators can connect you to TCA, food help, legal services, WIC, child care, support groups, and local programs. They can also help you understand the difference between informal care, formal kinship care, and court options.
• How to apply or use it: Start with the Maryland DSS local office list. In Baltimore City, the KinCare Center is a real local hub at 2923 E. Biddle St., open Monday through Friday, with phone 443-423-5442. If you are in Baltimore City and need the informal kinship navigator, the city page says the CPS hotline screener can route you through 1-800-917-7383.
• What to gather or know first: Be ready to explain whether the child came through a private family arrangement, a CPS safety plan, or a foster care case. That changes everything.

Legal custody vs kinship care vs informal caregiving

Do not assume these words mean the same thing in Maryland. They do not.

• Informal kinship care: The child lives with you through a private family arrangement. There may be no court order. This is the lane for child-only TCA, the school affidavit, and the health-care affidavit.
• Formal kinship care: The child is in out-of-home care with DSS legal custody and is placed with you as kin. This lane can include a monthly care stipend and can lead to GAP.
• Custody or guardianship: A court order gives you legal authority. This can help with school, health care, and long-term stability, but it is a court process and not the same as informal kinship care.

If the parent is cooperative, ask about a lighter legal tool before filing a full custody case. Maryland standby guardianship can let a parent name another adult to care for the child if the parent becomes mentally incapacitated, physically debilitated, or affected by an adverse immigration action. If you need to file a custody or guardianship case, use the Maryland Courts Family Help Centers or People’s Law Library kinship resources before paying for private legal help.

School enrollment and medical consent issues

Do not wait for a crisis. Get the school and medical paperwork started early if you do not have a court order.

School enrollment and education affidavit

• What it is: Maryland’s Informal Kinship Care Affidavit lets a relative enroll a child in school where the relative lives.
• Who can get it or use it: The MSDE fact sheet says the child must have been a Maryland resident before the arrangement, and the child must be living with a relative because of death, serious illness, drug addiction, incarceration, abandonment, or active military duty of a parent or guardian.
• How it helps: The relative can make the full range of educational decisions, although the parent keeps final decision-making authority. The school must enroll the child while waiting for extra documentation if the district asks for more.
• How to apply or use it: Get the affidavit from the school system, local board of education, DSS, local office on aging, or MSDE. The MSDE fact sheet says a new affidavit must be filed at least two weeks before the start of each school year if the child is still in informal kinship care.
• What to gather or know first: Keep the child’s previous school name and address, the parent’s last known address, and the date the child moved in. The same MSDE fact sheet says that if a district requires additional proof and it is not provided within 30 days, the district can charge tuition or remove the child from school.

Medical consent and the health-care affidavit

• What it is: Maryland has a Consent for Health Care Affidavit for relatives providing informal kinship care.
• Who can get it or use it: This is for a relative caregiver who does not have legal custody or guardianship but needs to consent to health care for the child.
• How it helps: It can reduce the common problem of a clinic or hospital saying, “You are not the legal parent.”
• How to apply or use it: Maryland says to get the form from your local health department or DSS office, or call 410-767-7249.
• What to gather or know first: The current DHS form says the affidavit must be filed annually with the Social Services Administration, the caregiver must notify DHS within 30 days if the care arrangement changes, and a copy should be given to the child’s health-care provider. Keep a copy in your purse, glove box, or school folder.

Medicaid and health insurance for grandchildren in a grandparent’s care

Apply for the child even if you think you make too much money. Maryland’s MCHP page says a child may qualify for Medicaid or MCHP even if the adult caregiver does not.

Health coverage through Maryland Health Connection

• What it is: Maryland Health Connection is the state’s official health insurance marketplace and the main application path for children’s Medicaid and MCHP.
• Who can get it or use it: Children under 19 can apply any time. MCHP is for uninsured children whose household income is too high for Medicaid but still low enough to qualify.
• How it helps: MCHP provides full Medicaid coverage, including doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital care, dental, vision, mental health, and transportation to medical care. Children enroll through one of Maryland’s HealthChoice managed care organizations.
• How to apply or use it: Use Maryland Health Connection, call 1-855-642-8572, or get free in-person help through a local navigator. After enrollment, the HealthChoice Helpline is 800-284-4510.
• What to gather or know first: If hold times are long, use the callback feature. Maryland Health Connection says help is available in more than 200 languages, and Monday is usually the busiest call day.

If the child is in foster care or GAP: ask the caseworker how Medicaid is being handled before you file a separate application. Maryland’s GAP policy ties Medicaid or Maryland Medical Assistance to the guardianship assistance arrangement in certain cases.

Food help and child benefits for kinship families

File for food help even if you are not sure the household will qualify. Maryland has several child-focused programs that older caregivers miss.

SNAP, WIC, SUN Bucks, and child care

• What it is: SNAP helps buy groceries. Maryland WIC helps pregnant people, infants, and children under age 5. Maryland SUN Bucks helps school-aged children buy groceries during summer. The Child Care Scholarship Program helps pay for care.
• Who can get it or use it: SNAP is household-based. WIC can be used by a guardian or grandparent applying for a child under 5. SUN Bucks covers eligible school-aged children. Child Care Scholarship is income-based.
• How it helps: Maryland SNAP can be expedited quickly for some households with little money. Maryland now says eligible SNAP households with a person age 60 or older receive at least $50 per month. SUN Bucks gives eligible children $40 in June, $40 in July, and $40 in August, for a total of $120. Maryland’s child care page says the informal scholarship can be used for care by a relative in the relative’s home or the child’s home.
• How to apply or use it: Use MarylandBenefits for SNAP. For WIC, call 1-800-242-4942 or your local WIC agency. For SUN Bucks, most children are auto-enrolled if they are in households receiving SNAP, TCA, or Medicaid, receive free or reduced-price school meals, or are in foster care. If not, use the Maryland SUN Bucks application path. For child care, use the official Child Care Scholarship page or call 1-866-243-8796.
• What to gather or know first: For SUN Bucks, Maryland’s policy manual says applications are accepted year-round, but to be considered for the current summer they must be received by August 31. For SNAP, interpreter services are free.

Housing help for seniors raising grandchildren

Plan on patching together general Maryland housing and utility help. There is no statewide housing voucher just for grandparents raising grandchildren.

Utility and emergency housing help

• What it is: Maryland’s kinship materials list the Maryland Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) and Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) as benefits kinship caregivers may use.
• Who can get it or use it: Low-income households, including senior kinship families.
• How it helps: It may reduce heating, electric, gas, or arrears pressure when the family budget changes overnight.
• How to apply or use it: Start with MarylandBenefits or your local DSS office. If you are facing eviction or homelessness, use Maryland’s housing resources page or call 211.
• What to gather or know first: Have your lease, utility bills, shutoff notices, and court papers if you are already in eviction.

Housing Choice Voucher and local rental help

• What it is: The federal Housing Choice Voucher Program helps pay rent.
• Who can get it or use it: Eligibility, waitlists, and openings vary by local public housing agency or contractor.
• How it helps: It may be the best long-term rent help if you can get on a waitlist.
• How to apply or use it: Use the Maryland Housing Choice Voucher contacts page. Maryland says local agencies create the criteria, process applications, and manage waitlists. There is no single statewide application for everyone.
• What to gather or know first: Ask whether the list is open, how children in your household affect bedroom size, and whether you need to update household composition after the child moves in.

Accessible Homes for Seniors

• What it is: Accessible Homes for Seniors is a Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development program for home modifications.
• Who can get it or use it: Maryland households with at least one resident age 55 or older. The state says seniors living with relatives may be considered case by case.
• How it helps: It offers zero percent deferred loans or grants for accessibility changes. That can matter if you are raising children while dealing with your own mobility needs.
• How to apply or use it: Use the program page or call your county’s Maryland Access Point office.
• What to gather or know first: This is not general rent help. It is for accessibility work in a home.

Support groups and respite help for older caregivers

If you are 55 or older, ask for caregiver help for yourself too. Many grandparents skip this step and burn out.

• Maryland Family Caregiver Support Program: Maryland says this program covers grandparents and other relatives age 55 or older raising children under 18. It can provide information, assistance, counseling, support groups, respite, and limited supplemental services. Start with Maryland Access Point at 1-844-627-5465.
• DHS Respite Care Program: If the child has a developmental or functional disability, the Maryland Respite Care Program may help. Call 1-800-332-6347 and ask your local DSS office for a caseworker.
• Formal kinship supports: Maryland says formal kinship caregivers can access support groups and kin-specific training, often through the Maryland Resource Parent Association.
• Baltimore-specific support: The Maryland DHS kinship fact sheet lists Grandparent Family Connections in Baltimore at 410-706-8716, and Baltimore City also has a Grandparents as Parents resource page.
• Mental and family support: The official kinship fact sheet also lists the Maryland Coalition of Families at 1-888-635-4372.

How grandparents can apply for benefits in this state

Use this order so you do not waste time:

• Open the right benefits case. Use MarylandBenefits for TCA, SNAP, and related help. If a PDF or old webpage still says “myDHR,” do not panic. Start with MarylandBenefits or call DSS. Maryland still has older kinship handouts online.
• Apply for the child’s health coverage separately if needed. Use Maryland Health Connection for Medicaid or MCHP.
• Ask for the school affidavit if the child needs school now. Do not wait for a custody case if school starts first.
• Ask for the health-care affidavit if the child needs treatment now.
• Call your local DSS office and ask for kinship navigator help. If you are in Baltimore City, call the KinCare Center.
• If the child came through foster care, ask one question early: “Is this formal kinship care, and am I approved or licensed yet?”
• If the child will stay long-term, get legal advice early. Use the Family Court Help Center directory before filing the wrong kind of case.
• Update your address everywhere. DSS, school, child support, Medicaid, and summer food programs do not always share address changes cleanly.

What documents grandparents need

• ☐ Your photo ID
• ☐ The child’s birth certificate, school records, or medical records
• ☐ Proof the child lives with you now
• ☐ Proof of Maryland address such as a lease, mortgage statement, or utility bill
• ☐ Any court papers, safety plans, or DSS letters
• ☐ Parent names, last known addresses, and phone numbers if known
• ☐ Proof of relationship if you have it
• ☐ Proof of household income if you are applying for SNAP, child care, or housing help
• ☐ Health insurance cards, Medicaid numbers, or denial notices
• ☐ School records showing where the child last attended
• ☐ Death certificate, jail information, military orders, or other hardship proof if available
• ☐ A notebook with dates, worker names, and confirmation numbers

Reality checks

• Portal trouble is normal: Maryland has current pages that use MarylandBenefits and older kinship handouts that still point to older portals. If a link fails, call DSS instead of stopping.

• Child-only TCA is not “automatic”: It is often available, but families still get delayed by missing parent information, child support questions, or notices mailed to the wrong address.

• Schools and clinics may still push for custody papers: Bring the school affidavit or health-care affidavit and ask the office to copy it into the record.

• Housing help is local and slow: Voucher waitlists and rules vary by agency. Use energy help and local crisis options while you wait.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for a custody order before applying for child-only benefits.
• Assuming a private family arrangement qualifies for foster care payments.
• Forgetting that TCA child support collection rules may affect what money comes to you directly.
• Not refiling the school kinship affidavit before the next school year.
• Letting school, DSS, and health coverage offices keep different addresses on file.
• Using an old phone number from a PDF without checking the current DSS office finder or current Maryland Health Connection help page.
• Skipping respite or support because you think it is “for someone else.”

Best options by need

• I need cash now: Child-only TCA through MarylandBenefits.
• I need authority for school now: Informal Kinship Care Affidavit.
• I need authority for doctors now: Consent for Health Care Affidavit.
• I need full foster care support: Ask whether the child is or can be a formal kinship care placement.
• I need long-term legal stability: Custody, guardianship, or GAP if the child is leaving foster care.
• I am a senior caregiver who is tired and overwhelmed: Family Caregiver Support Program through MAP.
• I need food help: SNAP, WIC, and SUN Bucks.
• I need rent or utility relief: OHEP and MEAP through MarylandBenefits, plus the local Housing Choice Voucher contact list.

What to do if denied, delayed, or blocked

• Ask for the written notice. Do not settle for a verbal denial.
• Ask what exact proof is missing. Use the worker’s own words and write them down.
• Ask where the notice was mailed. Wrong addresses are common.
• For TCA, SNAP, or kinship issues: call DSS at 1-800-332-6347 or your local office. Ask for a supervisor if the answer does not make sense.
• For school problems: call the school district student services office and MSDE’s kinship contact number at 410-767-0295.
• For health coverage problems: call Maryland Health Connection at 1-855-642-8572. If the child is already enrolled and care is blocked, call the HealthChoice Helpline at 800-284-4510.
• For custody or guardianship confusion: use the Family Court Help Centers or Maryland Legal Aid.
• Read the appeal section on every notice. Maryland programs usually have review or hearing rights, but the deadline is on the notice, not in a general article.
• If child support is unsafe or impossible: tell the worker that immediately and ask what exception or review process applies in your case.

Plan B / backup options

• If TCA is small, check for Social Security survivor benefits or SSI.
• If school enrollment is blocked, ask for the district kinship affidavit process before filing a court case.
• If you cannot get online, use in-person, mail, fax, or phone options through DSS and Maryland Health Connection.
• If you are over 55 and exhausted, use MAP for respite, counseling, and support groups.
• If the parent is cooperative but fragile, look at standby guardianship.
• If food runs out before benefits start, use 211 Maryland’s kinship help page and local food resources.

Local Maryland resources

Maryland offices and organizations worth saving

Resource	What it helps with	How to start
Local Department of Social Services	TCA, SNAP, kinship navigator, child support, foster care, guardianship questions	1-800-332-6347 | TTY 1-800-735-2258
Baltimore City KinCare Center	Local kinship support in Baltimore City	443-423-5442
Maryland Health Connection	Medicaid, MCHP, local enrollment navigators	1-855-642-8572
Maryland Access Point	Senior caregiver support, respite, local aging services	1-844-627-5465
Maryland Courts Family Help Centers	Custody, guardianship, forms, family court process	Use the statewide directory for county locations
Maryland Legal Aid	Legal help for low-income families	Use the office finder on the website
Maryland Coalition of Families	Family support and mental health navigation	1-888-635-4372

Diverse communities

Seniors with disabilities

Ask for help that fits both generations in the home. If you are an older adult with mobility needs, Accessible Homes for Seniors may help with home modifications. If the child has a developmental or functional disability, ask about the Maryland Respite Care Program. For planning and local casework, start with Maryland Access Point.

Immigrant and refugee seniors

Do not guess on immigration-related eligibility in 2026. Maryland Health Connection says it offers help in more than 200 languages, and health coverage rules for some non-citizens are changing in 2026. If a parent’s immigration problem is part of why the child is with you, read the Maryland standby guardianship guide and confirm coverage rules with the official marketplace before acting.

Rural seniors with limited access

Use phone and office-based options if the internet is a barrier. DSS accepts benefit applications in person and by other non-online methods, Maryland Health Connection offers phone help and callback, and MAP can route you to the local aging office in your county. For housing help, remember that voucher administrators differ by county.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Maryland grandparent get child-only TANF without legal custody?

Yes, often. Maryland says legal custody is not required for TCA for eligible children and relative caregivers. The key is that the child is living with you full-time and you are applying for a child-only case, not for yourself. Maryland’s kinship care page also says you must apply for child support, so ask questions early if that is unsafe or impossible.

Can grandparents get foster care payments in Maryland if the child just moved in privately?

Usually no. A private family arrangement is not the same as foster care. To receive foster care payments, the child usually must be in formal kinship care through DSS, and you usually must be approved as a kinship or restricted-relative provider. If the child came through CPS or a safety plan and you are not sure what your status is, call DSS and ask whether the child is in agency custody.

What is the difference between informal kinship care, custody, and guardianship in Maryland?

Informal kinship care is a family arrangement with no court order. Custody or guardianship is a court order giving you legal authority. Formal kinship care means the child is in foster care and DSS keeps legal custody while placing the child with you. Maryland uses different rules and benefits for each path, which is why the first question you should ask is what kind of case you actually have.

How do I enroll a grandchild in school in Maryland if I do not have custody papers?

Ask for the Informal Kinship Care Affidavit. The MSDE fact sheet says the child must be living with a relative because of one of the listed serious family hardships. If the child stays with you, you must file a new affidavit at least two weeks before the next school year starts. If the district gives you trouble, call MSDE at 410-767-0295.

Can I take my grandchild to the doctor in Maryland without legal custody?

Sometimes yes. Maryland has a Consent for Health Care Affidavit for relative caregivers in informal kinship care. You can get it from your local health department or DSS office, or call 410-767-7249. Keep copies and give one to the provider, because front-desk staff may not know the rule.

Can the child get Maryland Medicaid or MCHP even if I do not qualify?

Yes. Maryland’s MCHP page says a child may be eligible for Medicaid or MCHP even if the adult caregiver is not. Apply through Maryland Health Connection any time of year, or call 1-855-642-8572 for help.

What help is there for grandparents age 55 and older who need respite or support groups?

Maryland’s Family Caregiver Support Program specifically includes grandparents and other relatives age 55 or older raising children under 18. The program can help with information, counseling, support groups, respite, and limited supplemental services. Start through Maryland Access Point at 1-844-627-5465.

If a parent is willing to sign something, what is the simplest Maryland legal option?

It depends on the reason. If the parent is worried about illness, incapacity, or immigration-related disruption, standby guardianship may help. If the child is already settled with you and long-term authority is needed, you may need a custody or guardianship case. Use the Family Court Help Center before filing.

Resumen en español

Si usted es abuelo, abuela u otro familiar mayor en Maryland y ahora está criando a un niño, empiece por identificar si la situación es informal, una colocación de DSS, o un caso de custodia o tutela. En muchos casos, un familiar puede pedir la ayuda de efectivo child-only TCA en MarylandBenefits aunque no tenga custodia legal. También puede solicitar Medicaid o MCHP para el niño en Maryland Health Connection en cualquier momento del año.

Para la escuela, pida el Informal Kinship Care Affidavit. Para la atención médica, pida el Consent for Health Care Affidavit en el departamento de salud local o en DSS. Si usted tiene 55 años o más, Maryland Access Point y el Family Caregiver Support Program pueden ayudar con respiro, grupos de apoyo y servicios locales. Si el niño está en foster care, pregunte si usted es un proveedor de kinship care y si el caso puede calificar para el Guardianship Assistance Program. Si necesita ayuda legal, use los Family Help Centers de Maryland Courts o Maryland Legal Aid.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.

• Editorial note: This guide is produced based on our Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources, regularly updated and monitored, but not affiliated with any government agency and not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
• Verification: Last verified April 7, 2026, next review August 2026.
• Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we respond within 72 hours.
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