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Last updated: 19 September 2026
Grandparents raising grandchildren in Delaware may be able to get financial help through cash assistance, kinship-care aid, food benefits, health coverage, child-care subsidies, foster-care support, tax credits, and emergency programs. The right path depends heavily on whether the child is living with you privately, was placed with you by the Division of Family Services (DFS), or is under a court guardianship or adoption order.
This guide focuses on money, benefits, payments, subsidies, and cost-saving help. For the broader national picture, see our grandparent financial-help programs guide.
Bottom Line
Delaware has several financial-help routes, but no single payment fits every grandfamily. A grandparent caring for a related child may be able to ask for child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the state Kinship Care Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid or Delaware Healthy Children coverage, and child-care help. A DFS-approved foster placement can bring a foster-care stipend and Medicaid for the child. A narrower guardianship subsidy may be possible when a child has been in Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF) custody for at least one year.
Best first step: use Delaware ASSIST to screen or apply for public benefits, then tell the caseworker that you are a non-parent relative caregiver and ask which rules apply to the child versus your own household.
Urgent Cost Help
If you have no food, face a utility shutoff, cannot safely house the child, or need emergency shelter, do not wait for a long-term benefits decision. Contact Delaware Health and Social Services about emergency assistance and ask what can be provided now. Our Delaware emergency-help guide lists additional starting points for older adults.
Start Here: Three Financial-Benefit Actions
- Apply through ASSIST. Ask to be screened for child-only TANF, SNAP, medical coverage, and Purchase of Care child-care assistance.
- Ask about your placement type. If DFS is involved, ask whether you are being approved as a kinship foster caregiver and what stipend, Medicaid, child-care, clothing, or other placement support applies.
- Check the 180-day window. If a related child recently moved into your home, ask immediately about Delaware’s Kinship Care Program. The transition generally must have happened within 180 days of the application.
Financial Help and Benefits at a Glance
| Benefit or help | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child-only TANF | Monthly cash needs for the child | A non-parent caretaker can elect to be payee; the caretaker’s income is not counted in that child-only setup, but the child’s income may count | ASSIST or DSS |
| Kinship Care Program | Immediate clothing, shelter, health, safety, and school needs | Relative-caregiver, income, parent-in-home, and 180-day transition rules apply | DSS |
| Foster-care support | Daily care costs plus health coverage for an approved foster child | Requires a DFS foster-care placement and approval | DFS |
| Guardianship subsidy | Possible ongoing subsidy set by DSCYF | Narrow route; child must have been in DSCYF custody at least one year and subsidy is discretionary | DFS and Family Court |
| SNAP | Groceries | Household composition and income rules apply | ASSIST |
| Medicaid / Healthy Children | Medical care and health coverage | Child’s age, household income, residency, and program rules | ASSIST |
| Purchase of Care | Part of approved child-care costs | Income, child’s age, care need, and provider rules | ASSIST |
| Tax credits | May reduce federal tax or increase a refund | IRS relationship, residency, age, support, income, and tie-breaker rules | IRS or tax preparer |
What Has Changed for 2026
- Delaware’s current TANF schedule is effective from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, so the figures need another check when the next benefit year starts.
- The current Purchase of Care income schedule also runs through September 30, 2026.
- Delaware law confirms a narrow guardianship subsidy route for some children who were in DSCYF custody for at least one year. This is not an automatic payment for every guardian.
- Delaware launched a new Foster Parent Portal on September 1, 2026 for people beginning the foster-parent approval process.
Cash Assistance for Grandfamilies
Child-only TANF for a grandchild
Delaware’s current TANF rules say a non-parent caretaker can elect to be the payee for related children in the home. In that child-only setup, the caretaker’s income does not count, although the child’s income may count.
This can matter when a grandparent would be over the income limit for a regular family TANF case. Ask DSS to screen a child-only case instead of assuming your own income ends the inquiry.
The 2025-2026 TANF table is effective through September 30, 2026. Its applicant maximum net monthly figures are $201 for one person, $270 for two, and $338 for three. DSS decides the actual assistance unit, countable income, and benefit amount.
Cash help based on the grandparent
Some cash help is based on the older adult rather than the child. Delaware’s General Assistance program includes an eligibility category for people age 55 or older with no other source of income, subject to program income and resource rules.
This is separate from child-only TANF. Ask DSS to screen the child and the grandparent separately. Our Delaware senior benefits guide covers other help tied to the older adult’s own circumstances.
Kinship Care Payments and Foster-Care Support
Delaware Kinship Care Program
The state Kinship Care Program provides short-term financial assistance for non-parent relatives, including grandparents, for clothing, shelter, health, safety, and educational needs during the first 180 days after a related child moves in.
The child must be under 18; the caregiver must be related within the fifth degree; caregiver family income must be below 200% of the federal poverty level; the parents cannot live in the home; and the move must have occurred within 180 days of application. Funding is limited.
If the move was recent, ask about Kinship Care now even if you are also applying for TANF, SNAP, or medical coverage.
Foster-care stipend after DFS placement
An approved grandparent foster caregiver is in a different payment system. Delaware’s foster-care FAQ says foster parents receive a non-taxable stipend of about $20 to $55 per day per child, depending on age, needs, training, and service level. Medicaid covers the foster child’s medical, dental, and counseling needs.
A private family arrangement does not create foster payments. If DFS is involved, ask for your exact placement status, when any stipend starts, and which expenses are paid separately.
Delaware’s foster-care information page now routes prospective caregivers to the Foster Parent Portal.
Guardianship subsidy: narrow but real
Guardianship does not automatically create a state payment. But Delaware guardianship law lets DSCYF, in its discretion, award a subsidy when guardianship is granted and the child has been in DSCYF custody for at least one year. DSCYF also decides the amount and duration.
If the child has been in state custody, ask the DFS worker about subsidy eligibility before the permanency plan is finalized.
Adoption assistance in some cases
Some children adopted from foster care may qualify for financial or medical adoption assistance. Ask the DFS adoption worker about assistance before finalization; Delaware’s adoption program page is the official starting point.
Food Benefits
SNAP can reduce the grocery cost of a larger household. Delaware considers household composition, income, and who lives and eats together. Because SNAP household rules are different from child-only TANF rules, do not assume the same people or income will be counted in both programs.
Apply through ASSIST and review Delaware’s SNAP program rules. When you talk with DSS, say who buys and prepares food together and identify any income that belongs to the child. Our Delaware SNAP guide explains food-benefit issues that may also affect older household members.
Health Coverage for the Grandchild
A grandchild may qualify for Medicaid or the Delaware Healthy Children Program even when the grandparent has Medicare or other coverage. The child’s program is based on the child’s eligibility category and household circumstances, not simply on the grandparent’s insurance.
Delaware publishes current medical income limits. For 2026, the Delaware Healthy Children Program uses a 212% federal poverty level income standard; the official monthly figure shown for a family of four is $5,830. The Healthy Children program serves eligible uninsured children under 19.
Apply through ASSIST. If you are unsure which adult’s income belongs in the medical assistance household, ask the eligibility worker to explain the household calculation before you abandon the application.
Child-Care Help and Respite Savings
Purchase of Care subsidy
Delaware’s Purchase of Care program can pay part of approved child-care costs directly to a provider. The child-care assistance rules generally cover children under 13 when income and care-need rules are met; a family copayment may apply.
The current initial eligibility schedule uses 200% of the federal poverty level through September 30, 2026. For a four-person family, the current initial gross monthly income limit is $5,360. Recheck the figure on or after October 1.
If DFS placed the child with you, ask whether a Purchase of Care referral is available.
Respite help for older relative caregivers
Delaware’s caregiver-support program includes Lifespan Respite help for qualifying relatives age 55 or older who are raising a child. Respite reduces caregiving costs but is not a monthly kinship payment.
For local aging-network help, see our Delaware aging-agency guide.
Tax Help for Grandparents
A grandchild can sometimes be a qualifying child for federal tax benefits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit, when IRS relationship, age, residency, support, income, and other rules are met. Legal guardianship by itself does not decide the tax result.
Use the IRS qualifying-child rules and Child Tax Credit page before claiming the child. If more than one person could claim the same child, IRS tie-breaker rules can matter. Do not let two adults claim the same child-related benefit without checking the rules.
For Delaware and federal filing issues that commonly affect older adults, use our Delaware senior tax guide.
Housing and Utility Help
Taking in a grandchild can increase rent, energy use, food costs, and bedroom needs. These programs generally do not pay you because you are a grandparent; they help because the household meets housing, income, or crisis rules.
For energy bills, Delaware’s utility-assistance programs include the Delaware Energy Assistance Program and crisis help. Program timing, income limits, and available funds can vary. If you rent or need lower-cost housing, our Delaware housing-assistance guide gives additional senior-focused routes.
When you apply for housing or utility help, report the child and household change accurately. Ask the agency whether the added child changes household size, bedroom eligibility, income calculations, or documentation requirements.
Legal Help That Can Unlock Benefits
Legal authority can affect who can sign forms, obtain records, enroll a child, pursue child support, or finalize a permanency payment. It does not mean every benefit requires guardianship.
Guardianship and child support
Delaware Family Court says parents remain primarily responsible for financial support after guardianship. Its guardianship information page also says child support requires a separate proceeding.
Use the child-support application route or ask DCSS what proof your current caregiver status requires.
School and medical authority
Some relatives can enroll a child or consent to care without full guardianship. Delaware’s caregiver forms page provides school and medical authorization affidavits.
Under school-enrollment law, a qualifying relative caregiver can use the school affidavit. In some cases, a date-stamped custody or guardianship petition can support enrollment while the case is pending.
Delaware’s medical-consent law also permits a qualifying relative caregiver to use a notarized medical affidavit, generally for up to one year unless the child leaves the home or it is revoked.
Helpful resource: The 2026 Kinship Caregiver Guide explains caregiver status, court options, foster involvement, and financial-support questions.
Where to Apply and Who to Call
- Delaware ASSIST: Screen and apply for TANF, SNAP, medical assistance, child care, and other public benefits. Our Delaware ASSIST guide explains the portal for older users.
- Division of Social Services: Call 302-255-9040 for TANF, Kinship Care, SNAP, child care, and related eligibility questions.
- Division of Family Services: If DFS placed the child, work through the assigned worker for foster-care approval, stipend, Medicaid, permanency, and adoption-assistance questions.
- ADRC: Delaware’s Aging and Disability Resource Center can help older caregivers find benefits and community services at 1-800-223-9074.
- Legal help for age 60+: Delaware’s older-adult legal services can help eligible Delaware residents age 60 and older with certain benefits, housing, consumer, and other civil legal problems.
Documents to Gather Before You Apply
| Document or fact | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Child’s birth certificate or identity record | Helps show identity, age, and relationship |
| Proof the child lives with you | May be needed for household, school, tax, and benefit rules |
| Court or DFS papers | Shows placement, custody, guardianship, or foster-care status |
| Income records for each person | Programs count different people and income differently |
| Child support or Social Security records | Income belonging to the child can affect some benefits |
| Rent, utility, and child-care bills | Supports expense, crisis, and subsidy applications |
Do not delay an application only because one document is missing. Ask the agency what it can verify electronically, what substitute proof it accepts, and the deadline for supplying the missing item.
How to Start Without Wasting Time
- Record when the child moved in and whether DFS or a court was involved.
- Apply through ASSIST before every custody question is solved.
- Tell the worker you are a non-parent relative caregiver and ask whose income counts.
- If DFS is involved, ask for your placement status and a written list of payments and services.
- If the move was less than 180 days ago, ask about Kinship Care now and keep every written notice.
Reality Checks
- Kinship does not always mean monthly pay. Kinship Care, foster stipends, and guardianship subsidies are different programs.
- Legal custody is not one universal benefits test. Some benefits can be requested before final guardianship.
- Income rules differ. Child-only TANF can count income differently from SNAP, child care, health coverage, or General Assistance.
- Recheck October 1. Current TANF and child-care income schedules end September 30, 2026.
Common Financial-Help Mistakes
- Missing child-only TANF because you looked only at the grandparent’s income.
- Assuming a private kinship arrangement automatically creates foster-care payments.
- Waiting past the 180-day Kinship Care transition period.
- Assuming guardianship always creates a subsidy or that every form of assistance is a “grant.”
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
If a benefit is denied, ask for the written reason and the appeal or fair-hearing deadline. Do not rely only on a verbal answer. If the problem is missing proof, ask what alternative document the agency accepts. If the problem is that you applied under the wrong caregiver category, ask whether the case can be screened as child-only, kinship, foster-care, or another correct category.
If an older grandparent needs help sorting several systems at once, the ADRC can help identify the right office. If a Delaware resident age 60 or older has a civil legal problem involving public benefits or housing, the state’s older-adult legal-services route may also be useful.
Phone Scripts for Benefit Calls
Ask DSS about child-only TANF
“I am a grandparent caring for my grandchild. I want to know whether I can apply as a non-parent payee for the child only. Whose income will count, what documents do you need, and what is the current monthly benefit calculation?”
Ask about Kinship Care
“My grandchild moved into my home on [date]. Am I still within the Kinship Care application window? Please tell me the income rule, what expenses can be covered, what documents I need, and whether funds are available now.”
Ask DFS about payments
“DFS is involved with my grandchild. What is my exact placement status? Am I eligible for a foster-care stipend, Medicaid for the child, child-care help, a guardianship subsidy, adoption assistance, or other placement support? What must happen before each payment can start?”
Ask about legal authority
“I am raising my grandchild but do not yet have a final guardianship order. Which benefits can I apply for now? Which ones require a court or DFS document, and what caregiver affidavit or other proof will you accept while the legal case is pending?”
Resumen en español
Los abuelos que crían a sus nietos en Delaware pueden tener acceso a ayuda financiera y beneficios, incluyendo TANF solo para el niño, SNAP, Medicaid o Delaware Healthy Children, subsidio de cuidado infantil, Kinship Care y, en colocaciones aprobadas por DFS, pagos de foster care.
La tutela no crea un pago automáticamente, pero puede existir un subsidio discrecional cuando el niño estuvo bajo custodia de DSCYF por al menos un año. Empiece con ASSIST y pregunte qué ingresos cuentan, qué documentos necesita y si la solicitud debe ser para el niño, para usted o para todo el hogar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get child-only TANF without guardianship?
Possibly. Delaware lets a non-parent caretaker elect to be payee for related children. In that child-only setup, caretaker income does not count, although child income may count. Ask DSS what caregiver proof it needs.
Does Delaware pay grandparents for kinship care?
Sometimes. Kinship Care can cover immediate needs during a qualifying 180-day transition. An approved DFS foster placement can bring a stipend, and a narrow guardianship subsidy may apply after at least one year of DSCYF custody. These are separate programs.
How much is the Delaware foster-care stipend?
Delaware currently gives a range of about $20 to $55 per day per foster child, based on age, needs, training, and service level. This is for approved foster placements, not every private kinship arrangement.
Can I get SNAP when my grandchild lives with me?
You may be able to. SNAP considers household composition, income, and who lives and eats together. Tell DSS who buys and prepares food together and ask how the grandchild and child income are counted.
Can my grandchild get Medicaid or CHIP?
Possibly. Delaware offers Medicaid and Delaware Healthy Children for eligible children. Age, residency, household income, insurance status, and program rules matter. Apply through ASSIST.
Can a grandparent get child-care assistance?
Possibly. Purchase of Care can pay part of approved child-care costs for eligible families. Income, age, care need, and provider rules apply; some DFS kinship caregivers may receive a referral.
Can I claim my grandchild on my taxes?
Maybe. A grandchild can meet the IRS relationship test, but residency, age, support, income, and tie-breaker rules also matter. Guardianship alone does not decide the tax result.
Is legal custody required for every benefit?
No. Some benefits and caregiver affidavits can be used without final guardianship, while foster payments, permanency supports, child support procedures, or other agency actions can depend on legal or placement status.
About This Guide
Sources: This guide uses official federal, Delaware state, court, tax, and other high-trust 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: 19 September 2026 · Next review: 19 January 2027
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