Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in North Carolina: Kinship Care, TANF, and Support

Last updated: May 27, 2026

Bottom line: North Carolina does not have one monthly grant for every grandparent raising a grandchild. The right help depends on one first question: is the child living with you by family agreement, or is the child in county Department of Social Services custody? That answer changes the cash help, medical consent, school papers, and court steps.

For a wider benefits overview for older adults in the state, see our North Carolina senior help guide. This article stays focused on grandparents and older relatives caring for children.

Emergency help now

• If the child may be unsafe: call your county Department of Social Services (DSS) or 911 if there is immediate danger. Use the official county DSS directory or call the NC DHHS Customer Service Center at 1-800-662-7030.
• If DSS placed the child with you: ask the worker, in writing, whether the child is in county custody and whether the court approved the placement in your home.
• If food or medical care is urgent: start applications through North Carolina ePASS or your local DSS. Do not wait until every document is ready.
• If school is blocked: ask the district enrollment office about the caregiver adult affidavit process under G.S. 115C-366.

Quick help box

Contents

• Find the case type first
• Cash and kinship payments
• School and medical consent
• Health and food help
• Housing and caregiver support
• Legal choices
• Start without wasting time
• Documents checklist
• Denied or delayed
• Local resources

Find the case type first

North Carolina uses the word “kinship” in more than one way. That can confuse families. A grandchild can live with you in a private family arrangement, a temporary safety plan, a court custody case, kinship foster care, or guardianship after foster care.

The state’s kinship care page says informal care, formal court care, kinship foster care, and Temporary Safety Provider arrangements are different. Do not assume that “DSS knows about it” means the child is in foster care.

Reality check: If the child simply moved in with you because the parent asked, that is not enough by itself to create foster care payments. You may still have benefit options, but they are not the same as foster care money.

Cash and kinship payments

Work First child-only cash

North Carolina’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program is called Work First. For many grandparents, the most useful path is a child-only case. The state’s Work First table lists maximum monthly payments of $181 for an assistance unit of 1, $236 for 2, $272 for 3, $297 for 4, and $324 for 5. Larger assistance units have higher amounts.

Who may qualify: DSS must verify facts such as identity, address, age, living arrangement, kinship, Social Security number, income, and resources. In a grandparent case, the county may ask for birth certificates, a court order, school records, or other proof that the child lives with you.

Where to apply: Start through ePASS or your local DSS. Ask clearly whether your case is being handled as child-only Work First or a full-family case.

Reality check: Work First is small. It can help with basics, but it will not cover full rent, child care, clothes, food, and transportation.

Unlicensed kinship payment

The unlicensed kinship flyer says eligible unlicensed kinship caregivers may receive $351 per month for ages 0-5, $371 for ages 6-12, and $405 for ages 13-17.

Who may qualify: The child must be in the custody of a local child welfare agency. The court must authorize placement in your home. The child must be related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption, be age 0 through 17, and you must sign the county’s payment acknowledgement form.

Where to apply: This is handled through the child’s county social worker, not the general benefits line.

Reality check: This payment is only for certain foster care cases. If the worker calls you a “Temporary Safety Provider,” ask whether the court has actually placed the child in DSS custody.

Licensed kinship foster care

Grandparents can receive foster care board payments when the child is in foster care and the grandparent becomes licensed. The state foster care funding manual says licensed kinship foster homes are paid the same as licensed non-relative foster homes. The foster care funding manual lists standard board rates, as of July 1, 2023, of $702 for ages 0-5, $742 for ages 6-12, and $810 for ages 13 and older.

Where to start: Ask the social worker for the kinship foster care licensing steps. Expect background checks, home safety checks, and training.

Reality check: Licensing takes time. If the child may stay for months, ask early.

KinGAP guardianship assistance

North Carolina’s Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program, or KinGAP, is for eligible youth leaving foster care to permanent guardianship with kin. The KinGAP manual says payments are tied to the foster care board rate, Medicaid is available for eligible youth, and some nonrecurring legal costs may be reimbursed up to $2,000.

Important timing: The DSS-1810 KinGAP agreement must be signed before the guardianship court order is issued. Do not let the court date pass before this is done.

School and medical consent

School enrollment

North Carolina law can help when a child lives with a caregiver adult. It allows affidavit-based enrollment in some cases, such as parent illness, incarceration, abandonment, abuse, neglect, disaster, or a DSS recommendation. The law says legal guardianship cannot be required under that caregiver-adult subsection.

Call the district enrollment office, not only the school front desk. Ask for the caregiver adult affidavit or residency process. NC DPI also has a basic school enrollment page.

Medical consent

If the parent still has rights and this is informal care, ask the parent for a signed, notarized health care authorization. North Carolina’s health care form lets a custodial parent name another adult to consent to health care for a minor child. Keep copies with you, at school, and at the doctor’s office.

If DSS has custody, ask the social worker who can sign for routine medical, dental, therapy, and behavioral health care.

Health and food help

A grandchild may qualify for health or food help even when the grandparent’s own income is too high for other programs.

• NC Medicaid: Apply through NC Medicaid apply, ePASS, phone, mail, drop-off, or local DSS. NC Medicaid says it can take up to 45 days for most applications and up to 90 days for disability applications.
• Food and Nutrition Services: North Carolina’s FNS application page says benefits can start from the day you submit the application if approved, even if the application is incomplete.
• WIC: WIC can help eligible pregnant people, infants, and children up to age 5 with food, nutrition support, and referrals. Use My WIC or call or text 1-844-601-6881.
• SUN Bucks: The SUN Bucks application page says the last day to apply for 2026 benefits is August 15, and many children are enrolled automatically through school meals, FNS, Work First, qualifying Medicaid, foster care, or McKinney-Vento status.

For food help rules that affect older households, our SNAP senior guide may also help. For older adult Medicaid questions, use our Medicaid senior guide.

Reality check: Food household rules can get hard when the child’s parent still lives in the home. Be honest about who buys and prepares meals together.

Housing and caregiver support

North Carolina does not have one statewide rent grant just for grandparents raising grandchildren. Most housing help is local or tied to energy assistance, emergency assistance, public housing, vouchers, or charities.

• Heating bills: The LIEAP page says households with a person age 60 or older, or a disabled person receiving services through the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services, may apply Dec. 1 through Dec. 31. Other households apply Jan. 1 through March 31, or until funds run out.
• Heating or cooling crisis: The CIP page says applications run July 1 through June 30, or until funds are exhausted. The resource limit is $4,500 for households with a member age 60 or older or disabled, and $3,000 for other households.
• Eviction or shutoff: Work First emergency assistance can help with short-term needs such as a utility cutoff or eviction notice when county rules are met.
• Senior housing help: Use our housing help guide for senior rent, repairs, and housing contacts.

Older relatives age 55 or older caring for children under 18 may qualify for caregiver help through the Family Caregiver Support Program. Services can include information, help finding services, counseling, support groups, caregiver training, short-term respite, and limited supplemental help. This program does not pay a grandparent a salary.

For respite and aging network contacts, our aging agency guide is a good next stop. If bills are urgent, also check our emergency help guide and North Carolina charities list.

Legal choices

Legal words matter in North Carolina. Custody, guardianship, foster care, and informal care are not the same.

• Informal care: The child lives with you without a court order or foster care case. This can be quick, but it can cause school and medical consent problems.
• Custody: The North Carolina courts say third parties, including grandparents, can file for custody in some cases. Non-parents often must show that parents are unfit or acted against their parental rights. Use the official child custody page as a starting point.
• Minor guardianship: The courts say a guardian of the person for a minor is usually appointed when both parents are deceased or parental rights have been terminated. See the guardianship page before assuming this is the right path.
• Kinship foster care: DSS has custody. This can open payment and service options, but DSS and the court stay involved.

If you are 60 or older and the issue affects custody, benefits, housing, or safety, ask about legal help for elders. Do not sign a court agreement you do not understand.

How to start without wasting time

1. Ask who has custody. Write down the answer, the worker’s name, and the date.
2. Apply for benefits. Start Medicaid, FNS, and Work First through ePASS or DSS. You can add missing proof later.
3. Fix school and medical papers. Ask the school about caregiver enrollment. Ask the parent or DSS worker about medical consent.
4. Ask about payments early. If DSS placed the child, ask about the unlicensed kinship payment and licensing.
5. Get help before court. If the placement may last, ask legal aid or a lawyer about custody, guardianship, and KinGAP timing.

Documents checklist

• Photo ID for you
• Proof of North Carolina address
• Child’s birth certificate, if available
• Child’s Social Security number, if available
• School records and immunization records
• Medicaid or insurance card
• DSS placement papers, court orders, or safety plan papers
• Proof of relationship, such as birth certificates showing the family link
• Proof of income and major bills
• Parent contact information, if safe and available
• Any medical consent form or custody paper

Tip: File the application even if some papers are missing. Then ask for a written list of what is still needed and the due date.

Special situations

Reality checks

• County variation is real: Work First services, emergency help, school forms, and respite options can differ by county.
• Names can mislead: “Kinship” does not always mean foster care. Ask for the legal case type.
• Payments are not automatic: Foster care payments require the right custody status, placement approval, and sometimes licensing.
• Front desks may be wrong: Schools and doctors may ask for custody papers even when another legal tool may work. Ask for a supervisor.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for every document before applying
• Assuming a safety plan means foster care
• Not asking for child-only Work First
• Missing the KinGAP agreement deadline
• Letting school or medical care stall without asking for a supervisor
• Not keeping copies of forms, notices, and upload receipts
• Relying only on phone advice instead of written notices

What to do if denied, delayed, or overwhelmed

• Ask for the reason in writing. For benefits, the notice should explain appeal rights and deadlines.
• Ask what proof is missing. Say, “What document would fix this?”
• Ask what case type was used. This matters for Work First and kinship payments.
• Go up the chain in child welfare. Start with the worker, then the supervisor. If case-specific concerns remain, use the Constituent Concerns Office.
• Ask for help. A family caregiver provider, legal aid program, school social worker, or trusted nonprofit may help you sort the next step.

Backup options

• If a parent is deceased, ask Social Security whether the child may qualify for survivor benefits.
• If the child has a disability, ask about Supplemental Security Income for the child.
• If the child is under 5, call WIC even while other benefits are pending.
• If child care is blocking work or appointments, ask DSS about child care subsidy in a kinship situation.
• If rent is unstable, contact the local public housing agency and ask a housing counselor about local options.
• If the family recently left foster care to custody, guardianship, reunification, or adoption, ask DSS about Success Coach support.

Local resources

Resumen en español

Si usted es abuelo, abuela u otro familiar mayor criando a un niño en Carolina del Norte, primero pregunte si el niño está bajo custodia del DSS del condado o si vive con usted por un acuerdo familiar informal. Esa respuesta cambia los pagos, la escuela, Medicaid, la comida y el permiso médico.

No hay una sola ayuda mensual para todos los abuelos cuidadores. Las ayudas más comunes son Work First para el niño, Medicaid, Food and Nutrition Services, WIC, SUN Bucks, ayuda de parentesco cuando el niño está en custodia del condado, y apoyo para cuidadores mayores. Llame a su DSS del condado y pida ayuda en español si la necesita.

Frequently asked questions

Does North Carolina have a grandparent grant?

No, not for every informal caregiving situation. The real cash paths are usually Work First child-only assistance, unlicensed kinship payments for certain foster care placements, licensed foster care board payments, or KinGAP after foster care.

Can I get Work First without legal custody?

Maybe. County DSS must verify the child’s living arrangement, kinship, and other facts. Apply and ask whether the case can be opened as child-only Work First.

Can I enroll my grandchild in school without guardianship?

Often, yes. North Carolina law allows a caregiver adult affidavit process in some cases and says legal guardianship cannot be required under that subsection.

How do I take my grandchild to the doctor?

If the case is informal, ask the parent for a signed and notarized health care authorization. If DSS has custody, ask the worker who can consent to care.

Can my grandchild get Medicaid if I do not qualify?

Yes, that can happen. A child may qualify under child Medicaid rules even when the grandparent does not qualify for adult coverage.

What if DSS says this is a safety plan?

Ask if the child is in county custody and whether the court authorized placement in your home. A temporary safety plan is not always foster care.

When should KinGAP paperwork be signed?

The DSS-1810 KinGAP agreement must be signed before the guardianship court order is issued. Ask about it early if the child is in foster care.

Where should I start if I am overwhelmed?

Start with county DSS, the Family Caregiver Support Program, and legal help if custody, benefits, or housing are involved. Write down every call and deadline.

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.