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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in South Carolina: 2026 Help Guide

Written & Reviewed by

Analic Mata-Murray
Analic Mata-Murray

Managing Editor

Yolanda Taylor
Yolanda Taylor

Senior Healthcare Editor

Last updated: May 27, 2026

Bottom line: South Carolina does not have one monthly benefit just for grandparents raising grandchildren. Most families must build a support plan from child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), food help, health coverage, child care help, school paperwork, and local caregiver support. Larger monthly payments usually require an open Department of Social Services (DSS) foster care case and kinship foster licensure.

Emergency help now

  • Call 911 if the child is in danger or needs emergency medical care.
  • Report suspected abuse or neglect to the DSS abuse hotline at 1-888-227-3487 or 1-888-CARE4US. DSS says the hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • If the child is already in your home tonight, save texts, school notes, hospital papers, police papers, DSS papers, and any message showing why the child is with you.

Quick help for South Carolina grandparents

  • Cash for the child: Start with child-only TANF. The caregiver’s income usually does not count when the grant is only for the child.
  • Health care: Apply for the child through Healthy Connections or call 1-888-549-0820.
  • Food and formula: Apply for SNAP through DSS and call WIC appointments at 1-855-472-3432 if the child is under 5.
  • Local kinship help: Use the Kinship SC map to find Middle Tyger, Epworth, or HALOS support by region.
  • Older caregiver support: If you are 55 or older, ask your Area Agency on Aging about Seniors Raising Children.
Your first problem Best first call What to ask
You need cash for the child DSS Connect, 1-800-616-1309 “How do I apply for child-only TANF for a relative child?”
You need health coverage Healthy Connections, 1-888-549-0820 “Can I apply for Medicaid or CHIP for a child living with me?”
You need school authority School district enrollment office “What papers do you need from a grandparent caregiver?”
You need caregiver support Kinship navigator or Area Agency on Aging “Which local kinship or older caregiver programs serve my county?”
DSS has an open foster case DSS caseworker “Can I start kinship foster licensing?”

Contents

Choose your lane first

The right help depends on how the child came to live with you. South Carolina DSS uses kinship care more often than it did years ago. DSS placement data for June 30, 2025, showed 953 children in kinship or fictive kinship foster care out of 3,425 total foster care placements. But that does not mean every grandparent gets foster money.

There are three common lanes:

  • Informal family care: The child lives with you, but there is no court order and no open foster care case. This is common. Start with TANF, SNAP, Medicaid or CHIP, WIC, school paperwork, and local kinship help.
  • Family court custody or guardianship: A judge gives you clearer authority. This can help with school, medical care, and child support. It can also cost time and filing fees.
  • DSS foster care case: DSS and the family court are involved. If you become a licensed kinship foster parent, monthly board payments and later KinGAP may be possible.

For a broader senior benefits overview, see the GFS guide to South Carolina senior help.

Care situation Help that may open Reality check
No DSS case and no court order Child-only TANF, SNAP, Medicaid or CHIP, WIC, school meals, kinship navigator help You may still need written authority for school and medical decisions.
Family court custody or guardianship Stronger school and medical authority, possible child support, regular public benefits The court process can take time. Legal help may be needed.
Open DSS foster care case Kinship foster licensing, board payments, Medicaid, case support, possible KinGAP Licensing, background checks, home review, and court oversight are required.
Caregiver is 55 or older Area Agency on Aging support, respite, counseling, and possible small supplemental help Services vary by region and available funds.

Cash, health, and food help for the child

Child-only TANF

Child-only TANF is often the fastest cash path when a grandchild or other relative child lives with you. South Carolina DSS lists the maximum monthly TANF grant as $229 for one child, $308 for two children, and $388 for three children. Apply online through the DSS benefits portal, in person, by mail, or by fax using the TANF apply page.

Who may qualify: A grandparent or other qualifying relative caring for a child under 18 may apply on behalf of the child. If the grant is only for the child, South Carolina says the caregiver’s income and resources do not affect the child’s grant amount.

Reality check: A child who already receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI), foster board payments, subsidized adoption, subsidized guardianship, or kinship care payments may not be eligible for child-only TANF. Also, DSS may open or update a child support case when TANF starts.

Medicaid and CHIP

Children under 19 may qualify for Healthy Connections. SCDHHS posts current income limits on its eligibility limits page. You can apply online, call 1-888-549-0820, or ask for in-person application help.

What it helps with: Doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital care, dental care when covered, and other Medicaid services. Children in DSS foster care usually receive Medicaid. If a child has a disability, ask about TEFRA, BabyNet, and Family Connection.

Reality check: Your Medicare status does not decide the child’s Medicaid status. The child’s age, income rules, household details, residency, citizenship or immigration status, and documents matter more.

SNAP, WIC, and school meals

SNAP can help buy food when the child is part of your household. WIC helps with healthy foods, formula, nutrition education, and referrals for children under 5. South Carolina DPH explains the program on its WIC program page.

Reality check: Food programs may ask for income proof, address proof, and proof the child lives with you. Do not wait for custody papers before asking how to add the child to your case.

For help using state portals, GFS also has a plain guide to South Carolina portals.

Foster payments and KinGAP

Grandparents can receive foster care payments in South Carolina, but not just because the child is family. The usual path requires an open DSS foster care case and kinship foster licensure.

DSS lists regular foster board rates effective July 1, 2025, on its board rate page. The monthly rates are $700 for ages 0-5, $818 for ages 6-12, and $863 for ages 13-20.

Program What it may pay Main rule Start here
Child-only TANF $229 for one child, $308 for two, $388 for three Child must meet TANF rules and not already receive certain other payments DSS TANF
Licensed kinship foster care $700, $818, or $863 a month based on age Open DSS foster care case and licensure DSS caseworker
KinGAP Monthly guardianship help when approved Child must leave foster care to a permanent kinship guardian DSS permanency team
Seniors Raising Children Respite, counseling, support, and possible supplemental services Caregiver is 55 or older and the child’s primary caregiver Area Agency on Aging

How kinship foster licensing works

If DSS is involved, tell the caseworker that you want to be considered for kinship foster licensure. DSS explains the process on its kinship licensing page. Expect background checks, home safety review, training, and paperwork for adults in the home.

Reality check: Do not assume a board payment starts because a caseworker placed the child with you. Ask whether the child is in DSS custody, whether you are licensed, and what date payment could begin if approved.

KinGAP for permanent kinship care

South Carolina’s Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program, called KinGAP, can help some children leave foster care to live permanently with kin. DSS explains the program on its KinGAP page for children with open foster care cases when reunification and adoption are not the right plan.

Reality check: KinGAP is not a quick emergency grant. It is a permanency option. Ask about it early if the child has already lived with you as a licensed kinship foster placement and the case plan is moving toward guardianship.

Support for older caregivers age 55 and older

The South Carolina Department on Aging says its Family Caregiver Support Program includes Seniors Raising Children. This support is for adults age 55 and older who are caring for a child because the parents are unable or unwilling to provide care.

Services may include respite, counseling, support groups, training, help finding other resources, and some supplemental services. The state reports that 221 Seniors Raising Children clients were served in state fiscal year 2025.

Start with GetCareSC or your local Area Agency on Aging. GFS has a current area agency directory if you need help finding the right region.

Reality check: This is not usually a fixed monthly check. Help depends on your region, funding, waitlists, and your family’s need.

School and medical authority can be the hardest part when care starts suddenly. A school may ask for proof of address, proof of age, immunization records, custody papers, DSS papers, or a written statement from a parent. Ask the school to give you its list in writing.

South Carolina’s current public code does not show a simple statewide “grandparent custody form” that fixes every school and medical problem. A private power of attorney may help in some short-term situations, but schools, doctors, and courts can treat documents differently. Call the school district and legal aid before relying on a form.

For court cases, the South Carolina Judicial Branch lists a $150 filing fee for child custody and visitation actions on its family court fees page. If you cannot afford a lawyer, contact South Carolina Legal Services at 1-888-346-5592.

For school vaccines, DPH says South Carolina’s Certificate of Immunization, DPH Form 4024, is available online for many 5K-12 students through the SIMON portal.

Reality check: If the parent is missing, unsafe, or not able to sign papers, do not wait for months. Ask legal aid or the family court clerk what custody, guardianship, or emergency options may fit your county.

If you need more safety-net options while the paperwork is moving, see GFS guidance on emergency help.

Housing and child care problems

Housing

South Carolina does not have a statewide housing voucher just for grandparents raising grandchildren. If a child moves into your subsidized unit, report the household change right away. Waiting can cause lease, unit-size, or repayment problems.

SC Housing says it directly handles Housing Choice Vouchers in Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, and Lexington counties through its voucher program. In other counties, local housing authorities usually handle those questions.

For senior-focused housing paths, GFS has a separate guide to South Carolina housing help.

Child care

Child care help may be possible through the SC Voucher or Child Care Scholarship Program. The state says the Child Care Scholarship helps families pay for care so parents or caregivers can work, attend school, or attend training. DSS kinship materials also say child care assistance may last 52 weeks or more for some children living with relatives who receive child-only TANF or have DSS involvement.

Reality check: Funds, protected categories, work rules, and co-pays can change. Call 1-800-476-0199 and ask what category fits your case before assuming the program is closed to you.

If you are trying to become a paid caregiver for an adult in the home, that is a different issue. GFS covers that in paid caregiver programs.

How to start without wasting time

  • Write down the child’s status: Is DSS involved? Is there a court order? Is the child safe tonight?
  • Apply for health coverage first: Do not wait for a custody case to finish.
  • Apply for child-only TANF and SNAP: Ask DSS what proof is missing instead of guessing.
  • Call the school early: Ask what it needs for enrollment, transportation, meals, and records.
  • Ask about local help: Kinship navigators can help with benefits, documents, support groups, and referrals.
  • Keep one notebook: Write down names, dates, case numbers, and what each office said.

For a national overview that may help you compare options, see GFS on grandparent caregiver programs.

Documents to gather

Document Why it matters
Your photo ID Needed by most agencies, schools, and courts
Child’s birth certificate or proof of age Needed for school, TANF, Medicaid, and WIC
Child’s Social Security number, if available Often requested for benefits
Proof the child lives with you School letter, doctor record, DSS paper, or written statement may help
Any court, DSS, hospital, police, or parent papers Shows why the child is in your care
Proof of address Needed for school, housing, and benefits
Income, rent, mortgage, and utility proof Needed for SNAP, Medicaid, child care, and housing help
Health cards, medicine list, and doctor names Helps avoid gaps in care
School records and immunization record Needed for enrollment and services

Phone scripts you can use

Calling DSS about child-only TANF

“Hello, I am the child’s grandparent, and the child is living with me in South Carolina. I want to apply for child-only TANF for the child, not adult TANF for myself. What documents do you need, and how can I send them?”

Calling Healthy Connections

“Hello, my grandchild is living with me. I need to apply for Medicaid or CHIP for the child. I may not have every custody paper yet. Can you tell me what proof is required and how to apply today?”

Calling the school

“Hello, my grandchild is now living at my address. I need to enroll the child and keep school from being delayed. Please tell me in writing what records you need from a grandparent caregiver.”

Calling a kinship navigator

“Hello, I am raising a relative child in my county. DSS is either involved or I am not sure if DSS is involved. I need help with benefits, school papers, legal referrals, and local support. What can your program help with first?”

Reality checks

  • TANF is real, but small. It can help with basics, but it will not cover all rent, food, clothes, school costs, and child care.
  • Foster payments require the foster lane. Informal care and licensed kinship foster care are not the same.
  • Regional help varies. Area Agencies on Aging, kinship providers, schools, and housing offices may use different local steps.
  • Paperwork repeats. Keep copies of everything. You may need the same proof for DSS, Medicaid, school, and court.
  • Legal forms are risky. A downloaded form may not be enough.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming Social Security or retirement income blocks child-only TANF.
  • Waiting months with no paperwork because a parent promised to come back soon.
  • Thinking a DSS safety plan and a foster care court order are the same thing.
  • Not asking whether the child can be added to SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, or school meals now.
  • Missing mailed notices because DSS or Medicaid has an old address.
  • Not asking the DSS caseworker about kinship foster licensing when the child is in DSS custody.
  • Using a power-of-attorney form without asking the school or legal aid if it will work.

What to do if denied, delayed, or overwhelmed

  • For TANF or SNAP: Call DSS Connect at 1-800-616-1309. Ask what proof is missing and how to send it. For SNAP, South Carolina says you can request a hearing within 90 days through the SNAP appeal process.
  • For Medicaid: Call Healthy Connections at 1-888-549-0820 and ask whether the issue is identity, income, residency, household details, or missing proof. If needed, use the SCDHHS appeals process.
  • For DSS case problems: Ask for the caseworker’s supervisor. If the issue involves services to a child by a state agency, the Child Advocate can receive complaints.
  • For school problems: Ask the school for a written list of missing documents. Then call the district enrollment office or legal aid.
  • For disability needs: If the child has a disability or special health care need, ask Family Connection for help with school services and health coverage questions.

Older caregivers with their own disability or care needs may also want the GFS guide to disabled senior help.

Backup options

  • If TANF is pending, still apply for SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and school meals.
  • If the school will not enroll the child, ask for the refusal or missing-documents list in writing.
  • If housing is the emergency, call 2-1-1 and your Area Agency on Aging instead of waiting for a voucher list.
  • If DSS is not involved but the child cannot safely return home, ask legal aid about custody or guardianship options.
  • If you need broader grant-style ideas, use GFS’s grandparent grants guide as a supplement, not as a replacement for local applications.

Local South Carolina resources

Resource Best use Contact
DSS county offices TANF, SNAP, child support, county case help DSS Connect: 1-800-616-1309
Healthy Connections Medicaid and CHIP for the child 1-888-549-0820
South Carolina WIC Food and formula for children under 5 1-855-472-3432
Middle Tyger Upstate kinship navigator help 864-439-7760
Epworth Midlands and Pee Dee kinship help 1-888-561-2932
HALOS Lowcountry kinship help 843-990-9570
GetCareSC Area Agency on Aging and caregiver help 1-800-868-9095
SC 211 Local food, housing, utility, and crisis referrals Call 2-1-1

Resumen en español

Lo más importante: Carolina del Sur no tiene un solo pago mensual para todos los abuelos que crían nietos. La ayuda suele venir de varios programas: TANF solo para el menor, Medicaid o CHIP, SNAP, WIC, ayuda de cuidado infantil, la escuela, apoyo legal y programas locales para cuidadores.

Si DSS tiene un caso abierto de foster care y usted obtiene licencia como hogar de parentesco, puede haber pagos mensuales más altos o KinGAP más adelante. Si usted tiene 55 años o más, pregunte por Seniors Raising Children por medio de GetCareSC o su Area Agency on Aging. Si el menor está en peligro, llame al 911. Para reportar abuso o negligencia, llame a DSS al 1-888-227-3487.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get child-only TANF if I live on Social Security?

Usually, yes, if the child qualifies and the grant is only for the child. South Carolina says the caregiver’s income and resources do not affect the child-only TANF amount. The child’s own income and other payments can matter.

Can grandparents get foster care payments in South Carolina?

Yes, but not automatically. Foster board payments usually require an open DSS foster care case and kinship foster licensure. Informal private care does not open the foster payment by itself.

What is KinGAP?

KinGAP is South Carolina’s kinship guardianship assistance path for some children leaving foster care to live permanently with kin. It is not a quick emergency grant and does not fit every family.

Can I enroll my grandchild in school without custody?

Sometimes a school may enroll a child with other proof, but many schools ask for more. Call the school district and ask for the exact document list in writing. Legal aid can help if the school blocks enrollment.

Does my Medicare affect my grandchild’s Medicaid?

Your Medicare does not decide the child’s Medicaid or CHIP case. The child’s age, household details, income rules, residency, and documents matter.

Where should I start if I am 55 or older?

Start with child-only TANF, Medicaid or CHIP, and SNAP for the child. Then call GetCareSC or your Area Agency on Aging and ask about Seniors Raising Children.

What if I cannot afford family court?

Call South Carolina Legal Services at 1-888-346-5592. Ask about custody, guardianship, fee waivers, and county papers.

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.

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About the Authors

Analic Mata-Murray
Analic Mata-Murray

Managing Editor

Analic Mata-Murray holds a Communications degree with a focus on Journalism and Advertising from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello. With over 11 years of experience as a volunteer translator for The Salvation Army, she has helped Spanish-speaking communities access critical resources and navigate poverty alleviation programs.

As Managing Editor at Grants for Seniors, Analic oversees all content to ensure accuracy and accessibility. Her bilingual expertise allows her to create and review content in both English and Spanish, specializing in community resources, housing assistance, and emergency aid programs.

Yolanda Taylor
Yolanda Taylor, BA Psychology

Senior Healthcare Editor

Yolanda Taylor is a Senior Healthcare Editor with over six years of clinical experience as a medical assistant in diverse healthcare settings, including OB/GYN, family medicine, and specialty clinics. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor's degree in Psychology at California State University, Sacramento.

At Grants for Seniors, Yolanda oversees healthcare-related content, ensuring medical accuracy and accessibility. Her clinical background allows her to translate complex medical terminology into clear guidance for seniors navigating Medicare, Medicaid, and dental care options. She is bilingual in Spanish and English and holds Lay Counselor certification and CPR/BLS certification.