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Last updated: 23 September 2026
If you are a grandparent raising a grandchild in Tennessee, several kinds of financial help and benefits may reduce the cost of food, health care, child care, housing, utilities, and daily care. The strongest route depends on whether the child is living with you informally, under a power of attorney or court order, or through the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS).
Bottom Line
Financial help can come from more than one program. Start by asking the Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) to screen the child for a child-only Families First cash case and SNAP, ask DCS whether you qualify for the Relative Caregiver stipend or kinship foster payments, and apply for the child’s TennCare or CoverKids coverage. A court custody order can unlock some payments, but it is not required for every benefit.
Start Here: Three Financial-Benefit Actions
- Apply through One DHS. Use the One DHS portal for Families First and SNAP. Tell TDHS that the child lives with a non-parent relative and ask to be screened for a child-only Families First case.
- Check kinship payments. Use the DCS Relative Caregiver page. Ask which payment route fits your legal arrangement: Relative Caregiver stipend, kinship foster care, or later subsidized guardianship.
- Cut health and care costs. Apply for the child through TennCare Connect, then ask TDHS about child-care payment assistance if you work or attend school.
If you want a broader national overview of benefit types, use our national grandparent benefits hub.
Quick Reference: Tennessee Financial Help
| Benefit or help | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Child-only Families First | Monthly cash for the child’s basic needs | Child lives with a qualifying relative; adult may be excluded from the assistance unit | TDHS / One DHS |
| Relative Caregiver stipend | Ongoing costs of caring for the child | Court custody order, caregiver age 21+, child-support cooperation, other DCS rules | DCS regional provider |
| Kinship foster payments | Foster-care maintenance costs | DCS has legal custody and caregiver enters kinship foster process | DCS |
| SNAP | Eligible groceries | SNAP household, income, expenses, and other rules | TDHS / One DHS |
| TennCare / CoverKids | Medical, dental, vision, prescriptions, and other covered care | Child’s age, household, income, insurance, and immigration/citizenship rules | TennCare Connect |
| Child-care assistance | Part of approved child-care costs | Program type, work/school hours, child age, co-pay, provider rules | TDHS |
| Federal tax credits | Lower federal tax or possible refund when credit rules are met | Residency, relationship, age, income, support, and who claims the child | Federal tax return |
What Has Changed
- Foster board rates increased: DCS lists new regular foster-care board rates effective July 1, 2026. Because Tennessee law ties the Relative Caregiver stipend to 50% of the full foster-care board rate, the old May 2026 stipend calculation is no longer current.
- Relative Caregiver rules are broader: Tennessee removed the old household-income limit for the stipend in 2024. The current DCS page instead lists the court-order, age, child-support, relationship, care, and parent-out-of-home rules.
- Smart Steps remains limited: TDHS says a Smart Steps child-care waitlist began August 26, 2025. Kinship caregivers should still ask about At-Risk Child Only child care because that is a separate route for qualifying Families First child-only cases.
Cash Assistance: Child-Only Families First
Families First is Tennessee’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. TDHS says a child-only case is a special category when a child lives with a relative who is not the parent and the adult chooses to be excluded from the case. This can matter for grandparents because the cash benefit is for the child’s assistance unit, not a senior benefit paid because the caregiver is older.
Where to start: review the current Families First rules, then apply through One DHS. Say: “I am the grandparent. The child lives with me. Please screen this as a child-only Families First case.” TDHS decides the assistance unit and which income or resources count.
How much: TDHS still posts a Families First table effective July 1, 2021. It lists grants of $244 for an assistance unit of one, $343 for two, $387 for three, and higher amounts for larger units. Because the posted table’s effective date is older than this article, ask TDHS to confirm the amount for your exact assistance unit before you budget around it.
Reality check: Do not assume a grandparent’s age alone creates TANF eligibility. The child’s living arrangement, relationship, assistance unit, income/resources, citizenship or qualified-status rules, and other Families First rules still matter.
If online systems are confusing, our Tennessee benefits portals guide explains the main state entry points.
Kinship Care Payments and Subsidies
Tennessee has different payment routes depending on who has legal custody. Private kinship care, a Relative Caregiver stipend, DCS kinship foster care, and subsidized permanent guardianship are not the same program.
| Care arrangement | Possible payment | Main rule to know |
|---|---|---|
| Informal care or POA | Possible child-only Families First, SNAP, health coverage | A POA can help with school/medical authority but does not by itself create foster-care pay |
| Court custody, child not in state custody | Possible Relative Caregiver stipend | DCS stipend rules require a signed custody order and other conditions |
| DCS kinship foster care | Kinship foster board payment | DCS has custody; approval, training, home study, and background checks apply |
| Subsidized guardianship | Ongoing guardianship assistance plus Medicaid eligibility | Child generally must have been in an approved kin foster home at least six months and reunification is not possible |
Relative Caregiver stipend
The current DCS Relative Caregiver page says the basic program serves relatives by blood, marriage, or adoption who have primary care and control of the child and whose child’s birth parent does not live in the caregiver’s home. For the monthly stipend, DCS adds three key requirements: a signed court custody order, caregiver age 21 or older, and cooperation with child support.
A 2024 Tennessee law removed the former household-income limit for the stipend. The enacted law summary also changed the child-support language. This is why older handouts can be misleading.
Payment level: Tennessee law uses 50% of the full foster-care board rate. DCS’s 2026 board rates, effective July 1, list regular foster rates of $33.38 a day for ages 0–11 and $38.27 a day for ages 12 and older. Half is about $16.69 and $19.14 a day. Ask the regional Relative Caregiver provider to confirm the exact payment and rounding for your case.
Kinship foster payments
If DCS has legal custody and places the child with you, ask about becoming an approved kinship foster home. DCS lists a temporary kinship foster rate of $15.37 a day before approved foster-home status. After approval, the regular age-based foster rate applies unless another case-specific rate is authorized.
Subsidized permanent guardianship
If you have cared for the child in an approved kin foster home for at least six months and the child cannot safely return to a parent, ask DCS about subsidized guardianship. DCS says this program can include non-recurring guardianship costs, ongoing financial assistance up to the applicable foster-care amount, and Medicaid eligibility. Private guardianship outside the DCS permanency process does not automatically qualify.
Food Benefits: SNAP and School Meals
SNAP can reduce the household grocery bill. Apply through One DHS and report who lives in the home, who buys and prepares food together, income, rent or mortgage, utilities, and other requested details. TDHS applies the household rules; do not leave someone off because you assume their income does not count.
Use the official Tennessee SNAP page for current application and contact information. If you are age 60 or older, our Tennessee SNAP guide explains senior-related deductions and documents that may affect the calculation.
Health Coverage: TennCare and CoverKids
The grandparent’s own Medicare does not decide the child’s eligibility. Apply for the child separately. TennCare has child Medicaid categories with income limits that vary by age and household, while CoverKids can cover eligible Tennessee children under 19 who are not eligible for TennCare and meet its rules.
Check the current TennCare child categories and CoverKids eligibility. CoverKids currently states a household-income limit of 250% of the federal poverty level and requires it to be the child’s only health plan. Apply through TennCare Connect or call 1-855-259-0701.
Child-Care Help and Subsidies
TDHS operates several child-care payment assistance routes. The one most relevant to many grandfamilies is At-Risk Child Only Child Care. TDHS says it serves relatives caring for a child in a Families First child-only case when the guardian works or attends school an average of 30 or more hours each week. A co-pay can apply.
Review the official child-care certificate program. TDHS also says the Smart Steps program has had a waitlist since 2025. Ask which child-care category applies rather than assuming all subsidy routes are closed.
Tax Help for Grandparents
A grandchild can be a qualifying child for some federal tax benefits when relationship, age, residency, support, Social Security number, and other tests are met. The IRS family tax guide explains the Child Tax Credit and other family credits. Earned Income Tax Credit rules can also apply, but tiebreaker rules matter if a parent and grandparent could both claim the same child.
Do not assume that custody automatically gives you every tax credit. Tax rules and benefit-program household rules are separate, and IRS tiebreaker rules can matter when more than one adult could claim the child.
Housing and Utility Help
Adding a grandchild can make rent, bedroom space, and utilities harder to cover. Housing Choice Vouchers can reduce rent for eligible households, but waiting lists open and close and the wait can be long. THDA’s voucher waitlist instructions explain that applications are free and that some waits can last years.
For utility bills, Tennessee’s LIHEAP program offers one-time energy assistance through local agencies when funding is available. The payment goes to the utility or energy supplier, not as cash to the household.
For more Tennessee options, use our Tennessee housing help guide. If you face eviction, shutoff, no food, or another immediate bill crisis, use our Tennessee emergency assistance guide and ask local Community Action agencies about emergency services.
Legal Help That Can Unlock Benefits
Legal authority matters because different documents unlock different actions. Tennessee’s official minor-child POA resources say the state form can authorize school enrollment and medical treatment when properly completed. It does not automatically create DCS foster payments or the Relative Caregiver stipend.
If you need a court custody or guardianship order, or if a parent disputes the arrangement, get legal advice before filing. The Tennessee courts list free legal services, including Help4TN at 1-844-435-7486 and regional legal-aid organizations. This can be especially important when legal custody affects the DCS stipend, child support, medical consent, or school enrollment.
Child Benefits vs. Grandparent Benefits
Child-focused benefits include child-only Families First, SNAP, TennCare or CoverKids, child-care help, kinship payments, guardianship assistance, and some tax credits. Each program uses its own household and placement rules.
Grandparent-focused help can depend on your age, income, disability, housing costs, or caregiver role. Tennessee’s caregiver support program serves qualifying grandparent or relative caregivers age 55 or older and can include counseling, training, respite, and other services that vary by area.
For help tied to your own senior household, see our Tennessee senior benefits guide or our Tennessee AAAD guide.
Where to Apply
| Office | Phone | Ask about |
|---|---|---|
| One DHS Contact Center | 1-833-772-8347 | Families First, SNAP, child care, case status |
| TennCare Connect | 1-855-259-0701 | TennCare and CoverKids |
| DCS Customer Relations | 1-800-861-1935 | DCS program or service problems |
| AAAD statewide line | 1-866-836-6678 | Caregiver support, respite, local senior services |
| Help4TN | 1-844-435-7486 | Civil legal information and legal-aid referrals |
TDHS confirms the One DHS number on its current contact page. DCS lists county offices and current regional numbers on its DCS contact page.
How to Start Without Wasting Time
- Write down the child’s current legal arrangement: informal care, POA, court custody, or DCS custody.
- Apply for child-only Families First and SNAP even if you are also checking DCS payments. They are separate systems.
- Upload requested proof quickly and save confirmation numbers.
- If a program says no, ask whether the case is denied, pending, waitlisted, or missing proof, and ask for the next step.
Documents to Gather
- Photo ID for the caregiver.
- Child’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number if available.
- Birth certificate or other proof of relationship when requested.
- POA, custody order, guardianship order, or DCS placement papers.
- Proof that the child lives with you.
- Income, benefit, child-support, rent/mortgage, utility, and child-care records requested by the program.
- Health insurance cards and medical information for TennCare/CoverKids applications.
- Notes showing dates, worker names, confirmation numbers, and deadlines.
Reality Checks
- One legal document does not unlock everything. A POA can help with school and medical decisions, while the Relative Caregiver stipend requires a court custody order.
- Foster pay is not automatic kinship pay. Full foster board payments generally require DCS custody and the foster-home process.
- Amounts can differ by case. Child age, assistance-unit size, placement, household rules, and income can change the result.
- Funding can be limited. Housing, utility, and child-care waitlists can change.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Calling every payment a “grant.” Cash benefits, SNAP, foster payments, stipends, subsidies, and credits have different rules.
- Applying for adult TANF without asking about a child-only case.
- Assuming a custody order automatically creates foster-care payments.
- Skipping child-care help because Smart Steps is waitlisted without asking about At-Risk Child Only care.
- Ignoring notices or tax-claim conflicts that can affect deadlines or benefits.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
For SNAP, Families First, or child-care assistance, use the TDHS appeal instructions. Ask for the written reason and the deadline before you submit an appeal.
For a DCS service problem, first ask the worker or regional provider for a supervisor. If that does not fix the issue, the DCS Customer Relations unit accepts concerns about DCS programs and service delivery. For TennCare or CoverKids problems, a legal-aid organization may be able to help with eligibility or appeal questions.
Backup Financial Options
Do not wait for one program to finish before checking another. While a kinship payment is pending, SNAP, health coverage, school meals, child support, utility help, and local emergency assistance may reduce immediate costs. Community Action Agencies may also offer housing, utility, nutrition, or emergency services depending on local funding.
If you need local nonprofit help while a public-benefit case is pending, our Tennessee charity help guide can provide another starting point.
Phone Scripts
TDHS — child-only cash and SNAP
“I am raising my grandchild and the parent does not live with us. Please screen the child for child-only Families First and screen our household for SNAP. What rules apply, and what documents do you need?”
DCS — kinship payment
“I am caring for a relative child and have [POA / court custody / DCS placement papers]. Which payment route fits: Relative Caregiver stipend, kinship foster pay, or subsidized guardianship? What is the current rate and next step?”
TDHS — child-care subsidy
“I am the guardian in a Families First child-only case and work or attend school about ___ hours weekly. Please check At-Risk Child Only child care. Is there a co-pay, and what proof do you need?”
Legal aid — custody and benefits
“I am raising my grandchild and need to know whether a custody or guardianship order is required for a specific benefit. What legal option would give the needed authority for benefits, school, and health care?”
Resumen en Español
Los abuelos que crían a sus nietos en Tennessee pueden encontrar ayuda financiera y beneficios por varias vías. Pregunte a TDHS por un caso de Families First “child-only” para el niño y por SNAP para alimentos. Pregunte a DCS si su situación permite un estipendio de Relative Caregiver, pagos de cuidado de crianza por parentesco o asistencia de tutela subsidiada.
Solicite TennCare o CoverKids para el niño por separado; el Medicare del abuelo no decide automáticamente la elegibilidad del menor. Si trabaja o estudia, pregunte por la ayuda de cuidado infantil “At-Risk Child Only”. Para algunos pagos de DCS se necesita una orden judicial de custodia, aunque otros beneficios pueden estar disponibles sin esa orden.
Prepare identificación, prueba de parentesco, documentos de custodia o poder legal, domicilio, ingresos y gastos. Si recibe una denegación, pida la razón por escrito, el plazo para apelar y el documento que falta.
Financial Help FAQ
Can a grandparent get child-only TANF in Tennessee?
Yes, a qualifying relative may be able to receive a child-only Families First cash benefit for a child living with them. TDHS says the non-parent relative can choose to be excluded from the assistance unit. TDHS still decides the child’s eligibility, assistance-unit size, and which income or resources count.
How much does child-only Families First pay?
TDHS currently posts a grant table effective July 1, 2021 that lists $244 for an assistance unit of one, $343 for two, and $387 for three. Because that posted table has an older effective date, ask TDHS to confirm the amount for your case before relying on it.
Can grandparents get a Tennessee kinship stipend?
Possibly. The Relative Caregiver stipend requires a court custody order, caregiver age 21 or older, cooperation with child support, and the other DCS Relative Caregiver rules. Tennessee removed the old household-income limit in 2024.
How much is the Relative Caregiver stipend?
Tennessee law ties the stipend to 50% of the full foster-care board rate. With regular foster rates effective July 1, 2026, half is about $16.69 a day for ages 0–11 and $19.14 a day for ages 12 and older. Ask the regional provider to confirm the exact payment for your case.
Can a grandparent get full foster-care payments?
Yes, when DCS has legal custody and the grandparent goes through the kinship foster-care process. DCS lists $15.37 a day before approved foster-home status and age-based regular board rates after approval. Private family care does not automatically qualify for foster payments.
Can grandparents apply for SNAP for a grandchild?
Yes. Apply through One DHS and report the household, income, expenses, and food arrangement accurately. TDHS applies the SNAP household rules. Grandparents age 60 or older should also ask whether senior-related deductions affect the calculation.
Can the child get TennCare or CoverKids?
Possibly. Apply for the child through TennCare Connect even if the grandparent has Medicare. TennCare child categories vary by age and income, and CoverKids can cover some children under 19 who are not eligible for TennCare and meet its rules.
Does legal custody unlock every benefit?
No. A court custody order is important for the Relative Caregiver stipend and can help with child support and decision-making, but SNAP, TennCare, CoverKids, child-only Families First, tax credits, and other programs each use their own eligibility rules.
About This Guide
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: 23 September 2026 · Next review: 23 January 2027
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