Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Pennsylvania: 2026 Help

Last updated: May 27, 2026

Bottom Line: Pennsylvania does not have one simple monthly kinship payment for every grandparent raising a grandchild outside foster care. Most families should start with child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), health coverage, food help, school access, and caregiver support through Aging if the caregiver is 55 or older. If the child is in the county child welfare system, foster care or Permanent Legal Custodianship may open more help.

Pennsylvania is county-based. Families may face different steps and wait times by county. Figure out your legal lane before you file papers or turn down help.

Urgent help now

• If the child is unsafe: Call 911. To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313. ChildLine is open 24 hours a day.
• If the child just moved in: Call PA KinConnector at 1-866-546-2111. Ask whether your case is informal care, a custody issue, or a county placement.
• If you need cash, food, or health coverage: Start with Pennsylvania’s cash assistance page, your County Assistance Office, or the statewide benefits phone line at 1-866-550-4355.

Quick help for Pennsylvania grandparents

Contents

• What help looks like
• Child-only TANF help
• Caregiver Support Program
• Kinship, foster, and PLC
• Custody, school, medical access
• Health, food, child care
• Housing and emergency help
• Start without wasted time
• Documents checklist
• Denied or delayed
• Local resources

What help looks like in Pennsylvania

First, decide which lane you are in. Your lane controls whether you can get child-only benefits, a school enrollment tool, a caregiver support plan, or a foster care payment.

If you need a broader senior benefits map, the main Pennsylvania senior benefits guide can help with state programs outside this grandfamily topic.

Child-only TANF and cash help

Child-only TANF is often the first cash step for grandparents raising grandchildren in Pennsylvania. It is not a foster payment. It is cash assistance for a dependent child who lives with a relative caregiver.

Who may qualify: A child may qualify when a parent has died, is absent, is unable to care for the child, has very low income, is incarcerated, or is dealing with a crisis that leaves the child in your care. Pennsylvania’s state TANF policy says the specified relative does not always have to be in the TANF budget group for a child-only case.

How to apply: Apply online, by phone at 1-866-550-4355, or through your County Assistance Office. After you file, use Track My Benefits to watch for notices, missing proof, interviews, and status updates.

What it helps with: TANF gives a small monthly cash payment on an EBT card for daily child costs. Families on cash assistance may also receive a child support pass-through when support is paid on time; Pennsylvania’s benefits explained page lists up to $100 a month for one child or up to $200 for two or more children.

Reality check: Child-only TANF is small. If you only want help for the child, say that clearly. Do not open a full-family case by mistake.

These amounts come from Pennsylvania’s official allowance chart. Ask the CAO to confirm the exact amount for your case because income, child support, and case setup can change the final benefit.

Caregiver Support Program for grandparents 55 and older

The Pennsylvania Caregiver Support Program can be a strong fit for older relatives raising children. It is run through the aging network, not the welfare office.

What it is: The Caregiver Support Program can provide care management, benefits counseling, caregiver education, respite help, and reimbursement for some approved caregiving costs.

Who may qualify: The grandparent or older relative caregiver category is for people age 55 or older who are not the child’s biological parent, are related by blood, marriage, or adoption, and are raising the child in the same home. Some families qualify with legal guardianship, and some may qualify through informal care.

How it helps: Pennsylvania lists reimbursement up to $600 per month for approved costs and up to $5,000 lifetime for home modifications or assistive devices. Reimbursement depends on the care receiver household income and the care plan. It is not automatic cash.

Where to apply: Call your local agency through the state AAA directory. GFS also has a practical Pennsylvania AAA guide if you want a plain-English way to find the right aging office.

Reality check: Keep receipts and ask what needs approval before you spend money. Local funding can affect timing.

Kinship care, foster care, and Permanent Legal Custodianship

In everyday talk, kinship care means a child is being raised by relatives or close family-like adults. In Pennsylvania benefits, the word matters less than the legal setup.

Informal kinship care: The child lives with you because the family arranged it. This can still support child-only TANF, health coverage, food help, and school enrollment steps. It does not create a foster care payment.

Formal kinship foster care: The child is placed with you by county Children and Youth, and you are approved as a kinship or resource parent. Formal placement can lead to a foster care maintenance payment and caseworker support. County practice can vary, so use the official county directory if you need to contact the local child welfare agency.

Permanent Legal Custodianship: PLC is a permanency choice for some children already in county custody. In qualifying cases, subsidized PLC can include a negotiated monthly subsidy and help with some nonrecurring legal costs. Pennsylvania’s older PLC bulletin allowed up to $2,000 for qualifying nonrecurring legal-custody expenses, and more recent state guidance continues to explain subsidized PLC policy.

Post-permanency support: If your family reached permanency through adoption, PLC, or formal kinship care, Pennsylvania’s SWAN services may help with case advocacy, support groups, and respite.

For national background on these paths, see GFS’s guide to grandparent programs. Use the Pennsylvania rules on this page for state steps.

Custody, school enrollment, and medical consent

A custody order can make school, medical care, and long-term planning easier. But you should not assume that every service must wait for a custody order.

Legal help: Pennsylvania’s legal line for grandparents raising grandchildren is 1-877-727-7529. It serves older adults age 60 and up and can help with custody questions, court preparation, referrals, and related legal issues.

School enrollment: Pennsylvania’s PDE enrollment rule says a resident may be able to enroll a child under Section 1302 when the child lives with that resident and the parent does not live in the district. The resident must support the child without personal compensation and meet the rule’s requirements. Pennsylvania also posts a fillable sworn statement.

Medical consent: Pennsylvania’s Medical Consent Act can let a parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian give a relative or family friend power to consent to certain medical, dental, mental health, and other care. This can help when a parent is cooperative. It does not fix every case, and it may not apply if the child is already in county custody or a court order blocks it.

Reality check: Schools and clinics may still ask for custody papers. Ask, calmly, whether they will review the Section 1302 sworn statement or a medical consent form before you leave.

Health coverage, food help, and child care

Do not file only for cash. A child living with a grandparent may need health care, food, school meals, child care, and records right away.

• Medical Assistance: Children may qualify for Pennsylvania Medicaid, called Medical Assistance. Start through Medical Assistance, COMPASS, phone, mail, or the CAO.
• CHIP: Children and teens up to age 19 who are not eligible for Medical Assistance may qualify for CHIP. Pennsylvania’s CHIP grandparent page says a grandparent’s income is counted only if the grandparent has legally adopted the grandchild.
• Disability-related coverage: If the child has major health needs, ask about PH95, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance for Children with Special Needs.
• SNAP: Add food help to the first application. If you also need senior SNAP rules for yourself, GFS has a separate SNAP over 60 guide.
• WIC: Pennsylvania’s WIC income rules say children under age 5 who receive Medical Assistance are income eligible for WIC.
• Child care: If you work or are in approved training, ask about Child Care Works. Relative providers may need clearances and must meet program rules.

Reality check: Names, birth dates, insurance cards, school records, and proof that the child lives with you can speed up health and food cases.

Housing, utilities, and local emergency help

Taking in a child can change your housing need. Tell your landlord, housing authority, voucher worker, or caseworker as soon as possible if your household size changed.

Emergency shelter help: If your housing is unsafe, you are being evicted, or you need help to stop a housing crisis, ask the CAO about the Emergency Shelter Allowance. Pennsylvania says income rules apply, and the emergency must be one the allowance can solve.

Senior housing paths: GFS has separate guides for Pennsylvania housing help and income-based apartments. These pages may help if your current home no longer fits your new household.

Local emergency help: Food pantries, clothing closets, churches, community action agencies, and 211 can help while a benefits case is pending. For statewide emergency paths, GFS’s Pennsylvania emergency help guide may be useful.

Reality check: Housing help is often slow. Keep copies of rent notices, shutoff notices, court papers, and landlord messages.

How to start without wasting time

1. Write down the story in five lines. Include when the child moved in, why the parent is not caring for the child, who asked you to take the child, and whether any agency or court is involved.
2. Call the CAO. Ask for child-only TANF, SNAP, and health coverage for the child. Say if you do not want your own income counted in a full-family TANF case.
3. Call PA KinConnector. Ask which lane you are in and what office fits your county.
4. Call the school. Ask whether Section 1302 applies if you do not have custody.
5. Call the AAA if you are 55+. Ask for a Caregiver Support Program screening.
6. Use the benefits portal carefully. The GFS Pennsylvania portals guide can help with COMPASS, uploads, and tracking.
7. Save proof. Keep screenshots, receipts, upload confirmations, names of workers, dates, and call notes.

Documents grandparents should gather

You do not need every paper before you ask for help. Start the application, then turn in missing items. Use this checklist to reduce delays.

• ☐ Your photo ID
• ☐ Proof of your Pennsylvania address
• ☐ Child’s name and date of birth
• ☐ Child’s Social Security number, if available
• ☐ Proof the child lives with you now
• ☐ Any court, custody, foster placement, police, or protection paperwork
• ☐ School, daycare, or immunization records
• ☐ Medical cards, prescriptions, or disability records
• ☐ Proof of income for people applying
• ☐ Rent, mortgage, utility, and child care bills
• ☐ Any paper showing why the parent is not caring for the child

Phone scripts that save time

CAO script: “My grandchild is living with me. I want to apply for child-only TANF, SNAP, and health coverage for the child. Please tell me what proof you need and whether my case should be child-only.”

KinConnector script: “I am raising a child in [county]. There is no court order / there is a court order / Children and Youth is involved. I need to know my next step for benefits, school, and legal help.”

School script: “The child lives with me now. I do not have custody papers yet. Will the district review a Section 1302 sworn statement, and who handles enrollment today?”

AAA script: “I am over 55 and raising my grandchild in my home. I want to be screened for the Caregiver Support Program and respite or reimbursement help.”

Reality checks

• Informal care is common. It can support benefits, but it does not make you a foster parent.
• Cash help is limited. Child-only TANF is usually a small monthly amount.
• County practice matters. Pennsylvania’s county-run child welfare system means timelines can vary.
• School and medical offices may ask twice. Ask for the rule, form, or supervisor if you think the wrong standard is being used.
• Do not ignore mail. TANF, SNAP, Medical Assistance, and CHIP notices can have deadlines.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for a custody order before asking for child-only benefits
• Opening a full-family TANF case when you only wanted help for the child
• Assuming kinship care always means foster care payments
• Forgetting SNAP, WIC, school meals, and health coverage
• Paying court filing fees before calling the legal line if you are 60+
• Missing a renewal, interview, or semi-annual reporting notice
• Throwing away upload receipts, fax sheets, envelopes, or worker names

What to do if denied, delayed, or overwhelmed

• Ask for the reason in writing. Get the missing item, deadline, worker name, and office phone number.
• Appeal on time. Pennsylvania’s Hearings and Appeals office handles many DHS and Aging disputes. Follow the exact deadline on your notice.
• Ask for legal help. The Legal Aid Network directory can help by county if the grandparent legal line does not fit.
• Ask for disability help. If you or the child has a disability, the GFS Pennsylvania disability guide may help you find local access points.
• Ask for language help. Pennsylvania DHS lists language services. Ask for an interpreter before an interview if you need one.

Plan B options

• If TANF is denied, still ask for SNAP and health coverage for the child.
• If the county says the case is informal, ask whether custody, medical consent, or school enrollment forms fit your need.
• If you are 55+, ask the AAA about caregiver support even if the CAO cannot help with cash.
• If the child is unsafe or abandoned, ask Children and Youth whether formal placement should be reviewed.
• If you need food, clothing, shelter, or local help, call PA 211 and ask for kinship family resources.
• If you care for an older adult too, GFS’s Pennsylvania caregiver pay guide may help you separate child caregiving from senior home-care programs.

Local resources for Pennsylvania kinship families

Support for diverse communities

Seniors with disabilities

If online forms are hard to use, ask the CAO, AAA, PA Link, or a legal aid office for phone help, paper forms, interpreter help, or accommodations. If the child has a disability, ask about PH95 and school special education supports.

Veteran seniors

If you are a veteran or surviving spouse, ask your county veterans office whether any veteran-specific family or emergency help is available. GFS also has a Pennsylvania veterans guide for older veteran households.

Rural seniors

Rural families may face longer drives and fewer local offices. Phone calls, mailed copies, receipts, and careful notes matter. Ask whether your county accepts drop-box, fax, mail, or online proof.

Spanish-speaking families

Ask for an interpreter when you call a government office. Do not rely on a child to interpret benefits or legal questions.

Resumen en español

Si usted es abuelo, abuela u otro familiar mayor en Pennsylvania y un niño vive con usted, pida ayuda pronto. Empiece con child-only TANF, SNAP y cobertura médica para el menor. Llame a PA KinConnector al 1-866-546-2111 para saber si su caso es cuidado informal, custodia o una colocación del condado.

Si tiene 55 años o más, llame a su Area Agency on Aging y pregunte por el Caregiver Support Program. Si tiene 60 años o más y necesita ayuda legal, llame al 1-877-727-7529. Para la escuela, pregunte por la declaración jurada de la Sección 1302. Para salud, pregunte por Medical Assistance, CHIP o PH95 si el niño tiene una discapacidad.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a monthly kinship payment for every grandparent in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania does not have one broad monthly kinship stipend for every informal grandparent caregiver. Most families start with child-only TANF, SNAP, health coverage, and caregiver support if the caregiver is 55 or older. Foster care or PLC-related payments usually require a formal county child welfare case.

Can I get child-only TANF without legal custody?

Often, yes. A child-only case can be possible when a dependent child lives with a relative caregiver. The CAO may still ask why the parent is not caring for the child and whether child support cooperation rules apply.

Can grandparents get foster care payments?

Yes, but usually only if the child is formally placed with you through county Children and Youth and you are approved as a kinship or resource foster home. A private family arrangement does not create foster care payments by itself.

How do I enroll my grandchild in school without custody?

Ask the school district about Pennsylvania’s Section 1302 resident caregiver rule. If your situation fits, the district may review a sworn statement instead of requiring a custody order.

Does my income count for CHIP?

Pennsylvania’s CHIP guidance says a grandparent’s income is counted for CHIP if the grandparent has legally adopted the grandchild. If you are not sure, apply and ask the CAO or CHIP worker how your household will be treated.

What should I do first if I am over 55?

Apply for child-only benefits for the child, call PA KinConnector, and call your Area Agency on Aging about the Caregiver Support Program. If you are 60 or older and need legal help, call the grandparent legal line.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, local, 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 May 27, 2026, next review August 27, 2026.
• Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we will respond within 72 hours.
• Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the official program before acting.

Last updated: May 27, 2026

Next review: August 27, 2026