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Last updated: 17 September 2026
Grandparents raising grandchildren in South Carolina may be able to get financial help and benefits through child-only TANF cash assistance, kinship foster payments, guardianship or adoption subsidies, food benefits, child health coverage, child-care help, tax credits, and local cost-saving programs. The right route depends heavily on whether the child is living with you informally, is in a Department of Social Services (DSS) foster-care case, or is moving toward guardianship or adoption.
Bottom Line
Financial help is real, but it does not come from one program. For most private grandfamily arrangements, start with child-only TANF, SNAP, and the child’s Medicaid or CHIP application. If DSS has an open foster-care case, ask immediately whether you can become a licensed kinship foster parent and receive board payments. If the case is moving toward permanent guardianship or adoption, ask what monthly assistance will continue before agreeing to the permanency plan.
Urgent Financial Help
- No food: File SNAP with DSS and ask whether your household qualifies for expedited service. DSS says some approved households can receive benefits within seven days.
- Utility shutoff or housing crisis: Call 2-1-1 and ask for a local Community Action Agency, emergency shelter, rent help, or energy assistance. GFS also has a South Carolina emergency help guide.
- Child in danger: Call 911 for an emergency. For suspected abuse or neglect, call South Carolina DSS at 1-888-227-3487.
Start Here: 3 Fast Benefit Actions
- Apply for child-only TANF and SNAP. Use the DSS Benefits Portal or call DSS Connect at 1-800-616-1309. Say that you are a grandparent or relative caregiver and want the child-only TANF option screened.
- Cover health and child-care costs. Apply for the child through Healthy Connections Medicaid/CHIP. If you need day care or after-school care, ask the Child Care Scholarship office whether your family is in a protected category.
- Protect any kinship payment path. If DSS is involved, ask the caseworker whether the child is in DSS custody, whether you can become licensed, what board rate applies, and whether KinGAP or adoption assistance could continue support later.
For the national benefit picture, use the GFS guide to grandparent caregiver programs.
Financial Help at a Glance
| Benefit or help | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child-only TANF | Basic needs for the child | Relative child under 18; child’s own benefits may count | DSS |
| Licensed kinship foster care | Monthly board payment for child expenses | Open DSS foster case and kinship foster license | DSS caseworker |
| KinGAP | Ongoing guardianship assistance | Qualifying foster-care permanency case | DSS permanency team |
| Adoption assistance | Monthly subsidy, Medicaid, some adoption costs | Child and agreement must meet adoption-assistance rules | DSS adoption staff |
| SNAP and WIC | Groceries, approved WIC foods, formula | Household/income rules; WIC child under 5 | DSS / WIC |
| Medicaid / CHIP | Doctor, hospital, prescriptions, covered dental and vision | Child under 19 and program income/household rules | Healthy Connections |
| Child Care Scholarship | Approved child-care provider costs | New general intake paused; protected categories remain | SC Child Care |
| Seniors Raising Children | Respite and supplemental child-related costs | Relative caregiver age 55+ and primary caregiver | Area Agency on Aging |
| Tax credits | Reduce tax or produce a refund when rules allow | Tax relationship, residency, income, filing rules | Federal and SC tax return |
A benefit tied to the child is not the same as help based on the grandparent’s age or income. Child-only TANF, foster payments, KinGAP, adoption assistance, Medicaid/CHIP, and WIC are primarily tied to the child or child-placement rules. SNAP is household-based. Seniors Raising Children depends on the older caregiver’s status. Tax credits depend on the taxpayer and qualifying-child rules.
What Has Changed
This September 2026 update highlights three limits: child-only TANF maximums remain $229 for one child, $308 for two, and $388 for three; general Working Families child-care applications remain paused outside protected categories; and SC Housing’s voucher waiting list remains closed.
Cash Assistance: Child-Only TANF
What it pays: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is monthly cash assistance. South Carolina specifically offers a child-only option when a qualifying relative is caring for a child under 18. DSS says the caregiver’s own income and resources do not affect the cash amount when benefits are only for the child.
Current maximums: DSS lists $229 a month for one child, $308 for two children, and $388 for three children. These are maximum grant amounts, not guaranteed payments. Certain income or benefits received by the child can reduce or block eligibility.
Important exclusion: DSS says a child receiving kinship care payments, subsidized adoption or guardianship payments, foster-care board payments, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is not eligible for TANF. TANF applicants and recipients also must cooperate with child-support procedures.
Apply: You can apply online, in person, by mail, or by fax. If websites are difficult, the GFS guide to South Carolina benefits portals explains the main systems.
Reality check: Do not ask only for “TANF.” Say “child-only TANF for a relative child.” That wording matters because regular family TANF can count the adult caregiver differently.
Kinship Care Payments and Permanency Subsidies
The payment path changes when DSS has legal custody or an open foster-care case. A private family arrangement does not automatically create foster payments.
| Care arrangement | Monthly payment path | Main rule | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informal relative care | Usually child-only TANF, if eligible | Child lives with qualifying relative | “Screen the child-only case.” |
| Licensed kinship foster care | Foster board payment | Open DSS foster case and license | “What rate starts after licensure?” |
| KinGAP guardianship | Guardianship assistance | Qualifying foster-care permanency case | “What support continues after guardianship?” |
| Subsidized adoption | Negotiated adoption assistance | Eligibility and agreement before finalization | “What subsidy and Medicaid continue?” |
Licensed kinship foster payments
DSS says licensed kinship foster parents receive the same core foster-parent benefits, including monthly board payments. Current regular rates, effective July 1, 2025, are $700 for ages 0–5, $818 for ages 6–12, and $863 for ages 13–20 on the foster board rate page. The kinship licensing page says the process usually takes up to 60–90 days and some requirements may be waived. Confirm the exact rate and payment start date with the caseworker.
KinGAP guardianship payments
KinGAP is a permanency benefit, not quick cash. DSS says the child must have an open foster-care case and lists at least six consecutive months in a standard licensed foster home among its criteria when reunification and adoption are ruled out. Review the KinGAP requirements before agreeing to guardianship.
Adoption assistance
If a foster-care case is moving toward adoption, ask about adoption assistance before the adoption is finalized. South Carolina says eligible children may receive negotiated monthly maintenance payments, Medicaid, and other support. The assistance agreement must be completed before finalization, and the monthly amount cannot exceed the foster board rate that would otherwise apply.
Do not give up a payment path by accident: Before changing custody, guardianship, foster, or adoption status, ask DSS in writing what cash payment, Medicaid, child care, case management, and other services will continue after the court order.
Food Benefits: SNAP, WIC, and Meals
SNAP can increase the household food budget when a grandchild moves in. Unlike child-only TANF, SNAP is household-based. South Carolina DSS looks at the people in the SNAP household, income, expenses, and other rules. Apply through the South Carolina SNAP program and tell DSS who lives with you and who buys and prepares food together.
SNAP amounts depend on household size, countable income, and deductions. Grandparents age 60 or older can also use the GFS guide to South Carolina senior SNAP for older-adult rules.
If the child is under 5, South Carolina WIC can provide approved foods, formula, nutrition help, and referrals. The Department of Public Health says grandparents and other caregivers can sign children up. A family member receiving Medicaid, TANF, or SNAP already meets WIC’s income eligibility test, although the child must still meet the other WIC rules. Call 1-855-472-3432 or use the South Carolina WIC page.
Health Coverage: Medicaid and CHIP
Healthy Connections’ Partners for Healthy Children program covers eligible children under 19 and currently uses an income ceiling of 208% of the federal poverty level. Check the current Medicaid income limits instead of assuming your Social Security or Medicare decides the child’s case. Apply online or call 1-888-549-0820. If the child has a serious disability, ask whether another Medicaid category fits.
Child-Care Help and Subsidies
The South Carolina Child Care Scholarship Program can pay an approved provider directly. General Working Families applications have been paused since December 1, 2025, but protected categories remain, including TANF, special-needs, homelessness, domestic-violence, and child-welfare families.
The current Child Care Scholarship page says protected-category applicants generally need a child from birth through age 12, an approved work/school/training activity or open child-welfare case, and income within program limits. Some children ages 13–18 can qualify in limited circumstances. Call 1-800-476-0199 and ask whether a child-only TANF case or your DSS placement places you in a protected category before you submit an application.
Cost Help for Grandparents Age 55+
South Carolina’s Department on Aging includes Seniors Raising Children in its Family Caregiver Support Program. Relative caregivers age 55 and over who are the child’s primary caregiver may receive respite, counseling, and supplemental help such as school costs, afterschool programs, camp, diapers, or baby products.
This is not a guaranteed monthly check. Services depend on local need, regional practice, and funding. Start with the Family Caregiver Support page, call GetCareSC at 1-800-868-9095, or use the GFS South Carolina AAA directory.
If the grandparent needs help with their own benefits as well as the child’s, the broader GFS South Carolina benefits guide can help free up money in the household budget.
Tax Help for Grandfamilies
A grandchild can be a qualifying child for federal tax benefits. The IRS Child Tax Credit rules use relationship, age, residency, Social Security number, dependency, and income tests. The EITC also recognizes grandchildren, but requires earned income and other tests. South Carolina’s state EITC page says eligible full-year residents who claim the federal EITC can claim a nonrefundable state credit equal to 125% of the federal EITC for tax year 2023 and after.
Tax tip: If the child lived with both a parent and grandparent during the year, do not assume the person with custody papers automatically gets every tax benefit. Ask a qualified tax preparer to apply the IRS residency and tie-breaker rules.
Housing and Utility Help
If you already receive subsidized housing, report the child to the housing agency and ask how the household change affects rent and bedroom size.
SC Housing’s voucher waiting list is currently closed to all categories, and the agency says it is not an emergency-assistance route. Local housing authorities handle many other counties. The GFS South Carolina housing guide gives broader routes.
For energy bills, South Carolina’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help eligible households with heating or cooling costs. The state says applications go through local Community Action Agencies, payments are made to vendors, and funding can run out. Use the South Carolina LIHEAP page to find the local office. If several bills are urgent, local charities may help bridge gaps; GFS lists South Carolina charities as a backup route.
Senior homeowners may also reduce their own housing costs through state property-tax relief. The GFS guide to South Carolina tax relief explains the Homestead Exemption and legal-residence rules.
Legal Help That Unlocks Benefits
Legal custody is not one universal requirement. Child-only TANF, foster board payments, KinGAP, Medicaid, SNAP, child care, school enrollment, medical consent, and tax benefits each use different proof and placement rules.
Legal help becomes important when missing authority blocks school enrollment, medical decisions, child support, permanent placement, or a benefit application. South Carolina Legal Services provides free civil legal help to eligible people based on income, assets, and legal issue. Call 1-888-346-5592 or use the legal services intake page.
Do not sign away a foster or kinship status just to “make custody easier” until you know what monthly support, Medicaid, child care, and services will remain afterward.
Where to Apply Without Wasting Time
- Write the placement status. Note informal care, court custody, DSS foster placement, licensed kinship care, guardianship, or adoption.
- File core benefits. Use DSS for TANF/SNAP, Healthy Connections for Medicaid/CHIP, and WIC for a child under 5.
- Ask about payment status. If DSS is involved, ask your worker about the Kinship Navigator Program, board payments, KinGAP, or adoption assistance before placement changes.
- Add cost reducers. Check child care, Seniors Raising Children, housing/energy help, and tax credits.
- Keep proof. Save notices, confirmations, worker names, and dates.
Documents to Gather
| Document | Why it may matter | Programs |
|---|---|---|
| Child birth certificate | Shows identity and family relationship | TANF, Medicaid, school, tax |
| Social Security number | Identity and tax/benefit processing | TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, tax |
| Proof child lives with you | Shows household and residency | TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, tax |
| DSS or court papers | Shows foster, custody, guardianship, adoption status | Foster pay, KinGAP, child care |
| Income and expense proof | Household eligibility and deductions | SNAP, Medicaid, child care, housing |
| Benefit award letters | Shows SSI, Social Security, TANF, foster or subsidy income | TANF, SNAP, Medicaid |
Do not delay every application for one missing paper. File when allowed, then ask what proof is still needed and by what date.
Reality Checks
- More legal authority does not always mean more money. A private custody order can help with school or medical decisions but does not create a foster payment.
- Payment programs can replace one another. A child receiving foster, guardianship, adoption, kinship, or SSI payments may not qualify for child-only TANF.
- Child care is restricted. The general Working Families scholarship intake is paused; protected categories matter.
- Housing is slow. A closed voucher list is not emergency rent help. Use 2-1-1 and local agencies.
- Area Agency help varies. Seniors Raising Children is not a fixed statewide monthly amount.
Common Benefit Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying for regular TANF without asking for the child-only option.
- Assuming your retirement income automatically disqualifies the child from every benefit.
- Assuming an informal placement qualifies for foster board payments.
- Changing foster or custody status without asking what payments and Medicaid will continue.
- Waiting for perfect court papers before asking TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or child care what proof they accept.
- Calling every form of help a “grant.” TANF is cash assistance, SNAP is a food benefit, Medicaid is health coverage, and foster/KinGAP/adoption payments have placement rules.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
Ask for the decision in writing. For TANF or SNAP, call 1-800-616-1309 and ask what proof is missing and what appeal deadline applies. For Medicaid, call 1-888-549-0820 and ask what information or proof caused the problem.
For a DSS kinship-payment problem, ask the caseworker or supervisor to explain the placement, license, payment start date, and permanency option in writing. Use legal aid when a court order blocks benefits or authority.
Phone Scripts for Benefit Calls
DSS: child-only TANF and SNAP
“I am a grandparent raising my grandchild. I want to apply for child-only TANF and SNAP. Please tell me which income belongs in each case, the current benefit rules, what documents prove our relationship and household, and the next step if anything is missing.”
DSS caseworker: kinship payments
“Is this child in an open DSS foster-care case, and am I eligible to become a licensed kinship foster parent? What monthly board rate applies, when could payment start, what licensing documents are still needed, and could KinGAP or adoption assistance apply later?”
Healthy Connections: child coverage
“My grandchild lives with me and needs health coverage. Which Medicaid or CHIP category should I apply under, whose income is counted, what documents do you need, and what should I do if I cannot provide a custody order?”
Child Care Scholarship
“I am a grandparent caregiver. Does our TANF, special-needs, homelessness, domestic-violence, or child-welfare situation place us in a protected category? What income limit, work or school rule, provider rule, documents, and copay would apply to us?”
Resumen en español
Ayuda financiera: Los abuelos que crían nietos en Carolina del Sur pueden solicitar TANF solo para el menor, SNAP, Medicaid/CHIP y otros beneficios. Si DSS tiene un caso de foster care abierto, pregunte por la licencia de parentesco y los pagos mensuales.
KinGAP y la asistencia por adopción pueden continuar apoyo en algunos casos permanentes. La ayuda de cuidado infantil está limitada: las solicitudes generales están pausadas, pero categorías protegidas como TANF y child welfare pueden solicitar. Cuidadores de 55 años o más deben preguntar por Seniors Raising Children.
También revise ayuda para vivienda, electricidad, impuestos y servicios legales. Pregunte siempre qué documentos, reglas de custodia o colocación, cantidades y próximos pasos se aplican.
Frequently Asked Questions About Financial Help
Can I get child-only TANF if I live on Social Security?
Possibly. For a child-only TANF case, South Carolina says the caregiver’s own income and resources do not affect the cash amount. The child’s income or benefits can matter, and some foster, guardianship, adoption, kinship, or SSI payments make the child ineligible for TANF.
Can grandparents get foster care payments in South Carolina?
Yes, when the child is in an open DSS foster-care case and the kinship caregiver becomes licensed. DSS says licensed kinship foster parents receive monthly board payments. Informal private care by itself does not create a foster board payment.
Can I get SNAP for a grandchild living with me?
A grandchild living with you can affect your SNAP household size. SNAP is household-based, not child-only like TANF. Tell DSS who lives with you and who buys and prepares food together, and ask about expedited SNAP if food and cash are very low.
Can my grandchild get Medicaid or CHIP if I have Medicare?
Yes, your Medicare does not automatically make the child ineligible. South Carolina’s Partners for Healthy Children covers eligible children under 19. Apply through Healthy Connections and let SCDHHS determine the child’s household and income category.
Is child-care financial help open to grandparents?
It may be. General Working Families applications are paused, but protected categories such as TANF, special-needs, homelessness, domestic-violence, and child-welfare families may still apply. Ask whether your child-only TANF or DSS case fits a protected category.
Do I need legal custody to get benefits?
Not for every program. Child-only TANF, SNAP, Medicaid, child care, foster payments, and KinGAP use different proof and placement rules. Ask each program what it needs. Use legal aid when custody or guardianship would unlock school, health, child-support, or permanency benefits.
Can a grandparent claim tax credits for a grandchild?
Sometimes. The IRS recognizes a grandchild as a possible qualifying child, but relationship, age, residency, Social Security number, income, dependency, and tie-breaker rules apply. Only one taxpayer can use the same child for certain tax benefits.
About This Guide
Sources: This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources linked in the article.
Editorial note: This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections: Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
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, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 17 September 2026 · Next review: 17 January 2027
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