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Last updated: 27 May 2026
Bottom line: If you are raising a grandchild in Vermont, the fastest cash path is usually Child-Only Reach Up. Vermont does not appear to have a separate statewide monthly kinship stipend for informal grandparent care. Bigger monthly help usually depends on whether the child is in Department for Children and Families custody, whether you become a licensed kinship foster parent, or whether a later guardianship assistance case fits.
This guide is for grandparents, older relatives, and close family friends who have a child living with them in Vermont. It explains where to apply, what papers to gather, when court papers may matter, and what to do if the school, doctor, or benefits office gets stuck.
Emergency help now
- If the child is in danger or needs urgent medical care, call 911 now.
- If you need cash, food, or fuel help started quickly, call 1-800-479-6151. This is Vermont’s DCF Benefits Service Center. You can also use the district office finder before driving to an office.
- If you need shelter, food, transport, or a local referral today, dial 2-1-1. You can also use Vermont 2-1-1 if phone service is hard.
- If you are 60 or older, call 1-800-642-5119. The Senior Helpline can connect you with your Area Agency on Aging and caregiver support.
Quick help for Vermont grandparents
| Need right now | Best first step | Reality check |
|---|---|---|
| Cash for the child | Use the child-only form if you only want Child-Only Reach Up. | The check is not one flat amount. Housing, child income, and case details matter. |
| Food, fuel, or several benefits | Use MyBenefits or the regular state benefits application. | Use the regular form when you need more than child-only cash. |
| Health coverage | Call Vermont Health Connect at 1-855-899-9600 about Dr. Dynasaur. | Keep any old insurance card until the new coverage is active. |
| Kinship questions | Call Vermont Kin as Parents at 802-871-5104. | They can help you sort benefits, school, respite, and legal next steps. |
| Child in DCF custody | Ask the Family Services worker about licensed kinship foster care. | Do not assume child-only TANF is the right path if DCF has custody. |
Contents
- Which path fits your family
- Cash help through Reach Up
- Kinship care and foster care
- Health, food, school help
- Legal papers and court choices
- Start without wasting time
- Documents and phone scripts
- Delays, mistakes, and backup help
Which path fits your family
Start by asking one question: Who has legal custody of the child today? The answer changes the best benefit path.
| Care setup | Who usually decides | Help to ask about | Main warning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informal caregiving | The parent may still hold legal rights. | Child-Only Reach Up, Dr. Dynasaur, 3SquaresVT, WIC, kinship support. | Benefits may start, but school and medical consent can still be hard. |
| Minor guardianship | The court-named guardian. | School and medical decisions may be easier. Child-only benefits may still fit. | Guardianship by itself is not foster care and does not create foster payments. |
| Conditional custody | The caregiver under a family court order. | DCF case support and child-only benefits may fit, depending on the order. | You may have court duties and case-plan steps. |
| Licensed kinship foster care | DCF and the court share authority. | Foster reimbursement, Medicaid, child care help, and case-plan support. | Licensing, background checks, home review, and DCF oversight apply. |
| Permanent guardianship after foster care | The permanent guardian. | Guardianship Assistance Program, if approved before final steps. | This is a narrower DCF-related path, not general grandparent help. |
If you need a broader list of kinship topics, the GFS grandparent caregiver hub can help you compare state guides and national basics. For regular Vermont senior help that is not child-specific, see our Vermont senior help guide.
Cash help through Reach Up
Child-Only Reach Up
What it helps with: Child-Only Reach Up is Vermont’s child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families cash program. It can help pay for the child’s basic needs, such as clothing, school items, hygiene items, and other daily costs.
Who may qualify: The child usually must be under 18, live with and be cared for by someone other than a legal, step, or adoptive parent, have little or no income, not be in foster care, and not receive Supplemental Security Income. Relatives and some family-like caregivers may apply.
Where to apply: Use the Child-Only Reach Up form if you only want the child-only cash case. If you also need 3SquaresVT, Fuel Assistance, Essential Person, or help for yourself, use the regular application instead.
Reality check: Vermont does not publish one simple child-only amount for every family. Current Reach Up procedures say the budget uses a basic-needs standard, a housing standard of $450 in Chittenden County or $400 outside Chittenden County, a possible special housing allowance up to $90, and a 49.6% ratable reduction through the benefit calculation. In plain English, ask the worker to run the exact child-only budget for your case.
When the grandparent is included
You may ask Vermont to compare a child-only case with a case that includes you as the caretaker. This can help if your own income is very low. It can hurt if your income or resources make the household over the limit. Ask for both budgets before you choose.
Child support warning: Child support rules may come up in a Reach Up case. If contacting a parent could put you or the child at risk, tell the worker right away and ask about a safety or good-cause waiver. Do not wait until after notices arrive.
Kinship care and foster care
Vermont Kin as Parents and KIN-KAN
Kinship support is not just money. Many grandparents need help with school papers, parent consent, court questions, child care, respite, and stress. Vermont Kin as Parents is a strong first call. The KIN-KAN network also points families to trained kinship navigators and peer support.
When you call, be ready to say who the child is living with, whether DCF is involved, what papers you have, and what is urgent this week. Ask for help sorting the next three steps, not every possible program at once.
Licensed kinship foster care
If the child is already in DCF custody, ask the Family Services worker about kinship placement and foster licensing. Vermont’s kinship caregiver guide describes foster care, licensing, child care support, Medicaid, and the Guardianship Assistance Program. Informal care and probate guardianship alone do not create foster care payments.
Reality check: Foster care can bring more support, but it also brings more oversight. You may need background checks for household members, a home visit, training, and case-plan work. Getting licensed does not guarantee that the child will be placed with you.
Guardianship Assistance Program
Vermont’s Guardianship Assistance Program may help in some DCF-related cases after the child has lived with the kinship foster caregiver for a required period and permanency is being planned. Ask the DCF Adoption Unit at 802-241-2131 before guardianship is final. If you wait until after final papers, you may lose the chance to ask.
Health, food, school, and child care
Health coverage for the child
Call Vermont Health Connect and ask how to apply for the child’s coverage. Children may be screened for Medicaid coverage, often called Dr. Dynasaur. If the child came with a parent’s insurance card, keep it. Pharmacies and clinics often need both old and new information during a move.
Food help
Ask for 3SquaresVT when you file the regular state benefits application. 3SquaresVT is Vermont’s name for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits. The 3SquaresVT guide from Vermont Foodbank can also help older adults and caregivers understand the food benefit path.
If the child is under 5, check WIC eligibility. Vermont WIC says a parent or caregiver may apply for a child up to age 5. Participation in 3SquaresVT, Medicaid, or TANF can also help meet the financial test.
For broader senior food options, also check meal delivery, food shelves, and senior nutrition help. This can matter when you need meals for yourself too, not just groceries for the child.
School enrollment and meals
Call the school before the first day and ask what proof they need. Bring proof the child lives with you, any parent note, any court order, and the child’s school records if you have them.
Vermont has strong school meal help. The state school meals page explains free school meals and household forms. Even if meals are free at school, return any form the school sends. Those forms can affect other school funding and benefits.
If the child has no fixed, regular, and safe nighttime place to stay, ask for the school’s homeless liaison. Vermont Legal Help says children covered by McKinney-Vento rights can enroll right away through homeless education rules, even when records are missing.
Child care
If you work, attend appointments, or need approved child care because of a case plan, ask about Vermont child care help. The state lists child care agencies that can help families find child care and understand subsidy steps. If DCF has custody, ask the Family Services worker what child care can be approved for the child’s case.
Legal papers and court choices
Informal caregiving can be the quickest safe choice in the first days. It may let you apply for benefits for the child. But it often fails when a school wants proof, a doctor wants consent, or a parent cannot be reached.
Parent permission: If it is safe, ask the parent for a signed note that says the child lives with you and that you may talk with the school and medical providers. This is not the same as a court order, but it can help with day-to-day problems.
Medical consent: Vermont Legal Help explains that a person who can legally make health decisions for a minor is usually the parent or legal guardian. Its medical privacy page is a useful reminder that informal caregivers may need written permission or court papers for routine care and records.
Minor guardianship: If the child will stay with you and the parent is not reliably available, ask a lawyer or court helper whether probate guardianship fits. Guardianship may make school, medical, and benefit paperwork easier. It can also be a serious legal step, so get advice before filing if the family situation is tense.
Legal help: For civil legal help, contact Legal Services Vermont at 1-800-889-2047 or use Vermont Legal Help. If you need a private lawyer, the lawyer referral service may help you find one.
How to start without wasting time
- Make the child safe first. Confirm where the child will sleep, medicines, allergies, school, and emergency contacts.
- Write down the custody facts. Note the date the child moved in, why, where each parent is if known, and whether DCF or a court is involved.
- File benefits quickly. Do not wait for every paper. A signed application can protect your filing date.
- Use the right form. Use child-only if you only need child-only Reach Up. Use the regular benefits form if you also need food, fuel, or help for yourself.
- Ask for health coverage now. Do this even if the child may still have a parent’s card.
- Call kinship support. VKAP can help you choose between informal care, school papers, legal steps, and support groups.
- Use aging help for yourself. Our Vermont aging offices guide explains how the Senior Helpline connects older caregivers to local support.
- Use housing help early. If taking in a child may break your lease or subsidy rules, read our Vermont housing help guide and call before an eviction notice arrives.
Documents and phone scripts
Document checklist
- ☐ Your photo ID
- ☐ Child’s birth certificate, if you have it
- ☐ Child’s Social Security number, card, or proof you are trying to get it
- ☐ Proof the child lives with you, such as school mail, a landlord note, DCF paper, or a doctor’s note
- ☐ Parent note or written consent, if safe and available
- ☐ Any court order, DCF placement letter, safety plan, or guardianship paper
- ☐ Rent, mortgage, lot rent, heating, and utility bills
- ☐ Insurance cards, medicines, doctors, therapists, and school names
- ☐ Your income papers if you are applying for food, fuel, or help for yourself
- ☐ Copies or photos of everything you submit
Phone scripts
| Who to call | What to say |
|---|---|
| DCF Benefits Service Center | “I am a grandparent caring for a child who lives with me. I want to apply for Child-Only Reach Up. Please tell me what proof is missing and how to protect my filing date.” |
| School office | “My grandchild is living with me now. What papers do you need for enrollment, records, transportation, and school meals? Who is the homeless liaison if our housing is not stable?” |
| Doctor or clinic | “I am caring for this child. I have the insurance card and medicine list. What consent form or court paper do you need for routine care and records?” |
| DCF Family Services | “The child is in DCF custody or may have an open case. I want to be considered as kin. What must I do for kinship placement, foster licensing, and child care help?” |
Delays, mistakes, and backup help
Reality checks
- Paperwork gaps are common. A grandparent may have the child at home but no legal proof yet.
- Benefit approval does not fix legal authority. A child-only cash case may be approved while a school or doctor still asks for stronger proof.
- Old addresses can waste a day. Use current state office pages before driving.
- Housing rules can be tight. Subsidized housing, senior housing, and shared rentals may have guest or household rules.
- Respite help is limited. Support groups may be easier to access than paid respite.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for a court order before applying for child-only help
- Using the child-only form when you also need food or fuel help
- Missing the phone interview and not calling back fast
- Ignoring child support notices when there is a safety risk
- Assuming a handwritten parent note will satisfy every school or clinic
- Not telling DCF when the child leaves, moves, or starts getting income
- Driving to an old office address without checking first
If denied, delayed, or overwhelmed
- Ask one clear question: “What exact proof is missing, and what date do you need it by?”
- Ask for the budget: If the amount looks wrong, ask whether the case was run as child-only and whether housing was included.
- Use appeal rights: Read every notice. If it says you can request a fair hearing, note the deadline and act quickly.
- Get legal help early: Legal aid may help with benefits, custody, housing, school access, or denial notices.
- Call for emergency backup: Our Vermont emergency help guide can help you sort urgent food, shelter, utility, and local support options.
Backup options
- Heating and utilities: Use the regular benefits application for Fuel Assistance. Ask DCF what emergency help is open now.
- Housing risk: Vermont’s housing page for unsheltered homelessness points people to regional coordinated-entry help.
- Disability needs: If the child or caregiver has a disability, our Vermont disability guide can help you find state and local support.
- Paid caregiving questions: If you are also caring for an older adult or disabled person, our Vermont caregiver pay guide explains where payment may fit.
- Social Security: If a parent is deceased, retired, or disabled, ask Social Security about child benefits through Social Security.
- Post-permanency support: Families after adoption or guardianship can ask the Vermont Consortium about support services.
Local resources in Vermont
| Need | Contact | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Cash, food, fuel, forms | DCF Benefits Service Center | Call 1-800-479-6151. Ask whether to use child-only or regular benefits. |
| Health coverage | Vermont Health Connect | Call 1-855-899-9600. Ask about child coverage and Dr. Dynasaur. |
| Kinship support | Vermont Kin as Parents | Call 802-871-5104. Ask for benefits, school, respite, and legal navigation. |
| Older caregiver support | Senior Helpline | Call 1-800-642-5119. Ask for your Area Agency on Aging. |
| Local emergency referrals | Vermont 2-1-1 | Dial 2-1-1. Ask about food shelves, shelter, transport, and community help. |
| Legal help | Legal Services Vermont | Call 1-800-889-2047. Ask about benefits, school, housing, or guardianship help. |
| DCF custody questions | Family Services worker | Ask about kinship placement, foster licensing, child care, and case-plan costs. |
Resumen en español
Si usted es abuelo, abuela u otro cuidador mayor en Vermont y un niño vive ahora con usted, el primer paso práctico suele ser pedir Child-Only Reach Up si necesita ayuda en efectivo para el niño. Si también necesita comida, ayuda con calefacción o ayuda para usted, use la solicitud regular de beneficios.
Para seguro médico del niño, llame a Vermont Health Connect al 1-855-899-9600 y pregunte por Dr. Dynasaur. Para apoyo de kinship, documentos escolares, grupos de apoyo o descanso para cuidadores, llame a Vermont Kin as Parents al 802-871-5104. Si usted tiene 60 años o más, llame a la Senior Helpline al 1-800-642-5119. Si necesita comida, vivienda o ayuda local hoy, marque 2-1-1. Si el niño ya está bajo custodia de DCF, pregunte por kinship foster care y no solo por TANF.
Frequently asked questions
Does Vermont have a separate kinship payment for informal grandparent care?
Usually no. As of this update, the main cash path for informal grandparent care is Child-Only Reach Up. If the child is in DCF custody, ask about licensed kinship foster care. If permanency later becomes the plan, ask whether Guardianship Assistance may apply.
Can I get Child-Only Reach Up if I have Social Security income?
Often yes. In a true child-only case, the child’s eligibility is the focus. Your income is not always counted the same way it would be if you asked to be included. Ask DCF to compare the child-only budget with a caretaker-included budget before you decide.
Do I need legal guardianship before applying for benefits?
No. Do not wait for guardianship just to file for child-only benefits. But if the child will stay with you, or if schools and doctors will not accept informal papers, ask for legal help about guardianship or another court order.
How much is child-only TANF in Vermont?
There is no single amount for every child. Vermont’s Reach Up formula depends on the household size, housing standard, possible special housing allowance, child income, and the ratable reduction. Ask DCF to explain the exact budget in writing.
Can I enroll my grandchild in school without custody?
Sometimes, but it can be hard. Call the school and ask what papers it needs. If the child lacks stable housing, ask for the homeless liaison and McKinney-Vento enrollment help right away.
What if the child is already in DCF custody?
Ask the Family Services worker about kinship placement and foster licensing. Do not assume Child-Only Reach Up is the right path. Licensed kinship foster care may bring different support, but it also brings DCF rules and oversight.
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 27 May 2026, next review 27 August 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: 27 May 2026. Next review: 27 August 2026.
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