Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Virginia: Kinship Care, TANF, and Support

Last updated: April 7, 2026

Bottom line: Virginia does not have one statewide cash grant just for grandparents raising grandchildren. For most older caregivers, the real help is a mix of child-only Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid or Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), school enrollment rights, and, in formal foster care cases, kinship foster care or Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KinGAP).

If you took in a child suddenly, your fastest first steps are to contact your local department of social services, open a CommonHelp application, and get some kind of legal authority or parental delegation in place as soon as you can.

Emergency help now

• If the child is in immediate danger, call 911.
• If the child cannot safely stay with a parent, contact your local department of social services right away and ask whether a safety plan, foster care action, or the Parental Child Safety Placement Program applies.
• If the child is already with you and you need money, food, or health coverage now, start a same-day CommonHelp application or call 855-635-4370; for health coverage, call Cover Virginia at 1-833-522-5582.

Quick help

• Fastest cash path: Ask your local worker to screen for a child-only TANF case, not just “cash assistance.”
• Fastest navigation help: Call the Virginia Kinship Resource Guide hotline at 1-888-593-1972 or Virginia 211 at 1-800-230-6977.
• Fastest health coverage help: Use Cover Virginia assisters or call 1-833-522-5582.
• Fastest school fix: Call the school division’s enrollment or residency office before you go to the school desk.
• Fastest legal stopgap: If a parent is cooperating, use a Virginia parental power of attorney while you work on custody.

Best first steps after a grandparent takes in a child

Start with the local department of social services. In Virginia, the local department of social services, often called the LDSS, is the main front door for TANF, SNAP, kinship care referrals, child welfare questions, and foster care decisions. You can find your office through the Virginia local agency finder, apply through CommonHelp, or call 855-635-4370.

Figure out what kind of case you actually have. This is where many families lose time. In Virginia, informal caregiving, a temporary kinship arrangement, court-ordered custody, kinship foster care, and KinGAP all lead to different rights and payments. The Foster Virginia kinship page lays out those paths, and the difference matters for school, medical care, and money.

Ask what office handles what. In Virginia, this help is split across agencies. LDSS handles TANF, SNAP, kinship support, and foster care. Cover Virginia handles Medicaid and FAMIS call-center help. Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) handles child support. Your local school division handles enrollment. Virginia Housing and local housing agencies handle most voucher-based rent help.

If child welfare is involved, ask about deadlines. Under Virginia’s Parental Child Safety Placement Program, the agreement must be signed within four calendar days of the facilitated meeting, usually lasts up to 90 days, and may be extended to a total of 180 days. Do not sign papers you do not understand.

• Get written proof today: texts from the parent, hospital papers, a social worker note, or any placement papers.
• Apply for benefits right away: do not wait for a court date to apply.
• Call the child’s school: ask what kinship-care or residency form the division uses.
• Call the child’s doctor: ask what document they need for routine care and records.
• Keep one folder: paper copies, screenshots, notices, upload confirmations, and every name you were given on the phone.

Quick facts

• Best immediate takeaway: For most low-income Virginia grandparents, child-only TANF is the fastest realistic cash help.
• One major rule: Informal care, legal custody, and foster care are not the same in Virginia.
• One realistic obstacle: Schools and doctors often want paperwork even when the child is already living with you.
• One useful fact: Virginia has a 24-hour kinship help line through the Kinship Resource Guide.
• Best next step: Find your LDSS and open a CommonHelp case the same day.

What help actually looks like in Virginia

Expect to piece programs together. Virginia does not run one simple “grandparents raising grandchildren” program. Instead, families usually combine child-only TANF, children’s health coverage, SNAP, child support, and school protections. If the child comes through the foster care system, then foster care maintenance or KinGAP may become possible.

Local variation matters a lot. TANF amounts vary by locality group. School divisions use their own caregiver and residency forms. Kinship Navigator coverage is regional, not statewide. Housing Choice Voucher waitlists open and close locally. Even the state’s own family-first kinship pages show regional pilots, while some local pages, such as James City County’s kinship services page, say referrals are on hold during restructuring.

Virginia is pushing more family placements, but local offices still drive the outcome. The Virginia Department of Social Services says kinship placements rose from 13% in 2023 to 21.2%, or 1,024 children, by April 2025. That helps, but older caregivers still have to deal with separate offices, separate rules, and a lot of paperwork.

Who qualifies

This guide is mainly for Virginia grandparents, great-grandparents, adult siblings, aunts, uncles, and other relatives who are raising a child because the parents cannot. Some supports also reach fictive kin, meaning close family friends with a strong relationship to the child, especially in formal child welfare cases. For TANF, the child generally must be under 18, or under 19 and still in secondary school. For foster care payments or guardianship assistance, the child must usually be in an LDSS foster care case first.

Legal custody vs kinship care vs informal caregiving

Virginia path	Who usually has legal authority	What help is most realistic	Main office or system
Informal caregiving	Usually the parent	SNAP, Medicaid or FAMIS, and sometimes child-only TANF; school and medical problems are common without papers	LDSS, CommonHelp, school division
Temporary kinship care or parental delegation	Parent keeps rights but may delegate some powers for up to 180 days	Short-term school and medical help; still usually no foster care payment	Parent, notary, school, doctor, LDSS
Court-ordered custody	You	Best path for school decisions, medical consent, child support, and child-only TANF	Court, LDSS, DCSE
Kinship foster care	LDSS has custody; you are the approved kinship foster parent	Monthly foster care maintenance, caseworker support, and child welfare services	Foster Virginia and LDSS
KinGAP or state-funded guardianship assistance	You become permanent legal guardian after a foster care case	Ongoing monthly support under a written agreement	LDSS and foster care case team

Financial help for grandparents raising grandchildren

For seniors on a fixed income, child-only TANF is usually the first cash benefit to check. Virginia’s own kinship brochure says relatives with custody may apply for Child-Only TANF through the local department of social services, and the amount depends on where the caregiver lives.

Important: foster care money is different. You only get that if the child is formally in foster care and you are approved as the kinship foster parent. Guardianship payments are different again, and usually only happen after a foster care case.

Virginia help	Current public amount or rule	When it usually applies
Child-only TANF	Virginia now uses Group II and Group III locality standards. A one-child assistance unit is $249 in Group II and $348 in Group III. Two children are $366 in Group II and $465 in Group III.	The child lives with a relative and you ask LDSS to screen it as a child-only case.
Kinship foster care maintenance	Under the current April 2026 VDSS foster care manual, basic monthly rates are $563 ages 0 through 4, $658 ages 5 through 12, and $836 ages 13 and over.	The child is in LDSS custody and you are an approved kinship foster parent.
KinGAP or state-funded guardianship assistance	No flat statewide public amount is posted. Virginia law requires a written agreement that states the payment amount and how it can be adjusted.	The child leaves foster care to your legal guardianship after approval by LDSS.

Best Virginia programs and options

Child-only TANF for grandparents raising grandchildren

Ask for a child-only screening first. That wording matters because a full-family TANF case can trigger different income and work-rule questions.

• What it is: A monthly cash payment through Virginia TANF for the child in your care.
• Who can get it or use it: A relative caregiver with a child who is under 18, or under 19 and still in secondary school, living in Virginia and meeting TANF rules.
• How it helps: It gives monthly cash and can also open the door to Diversionary Assistance or Emergency Assistance if you have a short-term crisis.
• How to apply or use it: Apply through CommonHelp, call 855-635-4370, go to LDSS, or mail in an application.
• What to gather or know first: Child’s identity, proof the child is living with you, any custody papers, the parent’s information if known, and a request for the worker to explain child-only versus full-family TANF.

Kinship care payments and kinship navigator help in this state

Use the statewide hotline even if your locality has its own program. It is often the fastest way to find the right regional contact.

• What it is: The Virginia Kinship Resource Guide and regional Kinship Navigator programs that provide information, referral, education, and advocacy.
• Who can get it or use it: Grandparents, relatives, and many kinship families, including some close family friends.
• How it helps: It can connect you to benefits, legal help, school help, support groups, and short-term case management.
• How to apply or use it: Call the kinship line at 1-888-593-1972 or Virginia 211 at 1-800-230-6977. If you live in Hampton Roads, the Virginia Beach Kinship Navigator can be reached at 757-385-3636.
• What to gather or know first: Your locality, the child’s age, who currently has legal custody, and your top two urgent needs.

Guardianship assistance for older caregivers

Do not agree to permanent custody in a foster care case before asking about KinGAP. In Virginia, monthly guardianship help is mostly tied to children who are leaving foster care.

• What it is: KinGAP and Virginia’s state-funded kinship guardianship assistance.
• Who can get it or use it: Usually a caregiver in a foster care case. The state-funded version requires the child to have been in LDSS custody for at least 90 days. KinGAP generally requires the child to be living with an approved kinship foster parent for at least 6 months before custody transfer.
• How it helps: It can continue monthly support after custody transfers to you.
• How to apply or use it: Tell the caseworker, in writing if possible, that you want the child screened for KinGAP or state-funded kinship guardianship assistance before custody changes.
• What to gather or know first: Placement dates, foster care approval papers, the proposed custody plan, and any written agreement draft.

If the child never entered foster care, Virginia usually does not have a separate monthly guardianship payment just because you got custody on your own.

Can grandparents get foster care payments?

Do not assume a child in your home is a foster child. In Virginia, a child can be with you under a safety plan or informal arrangement and still not be in foster care.

• What it is: A monthly foster care maintenance payment through Virginia foster care.
• Who can get it or use it: An approved kinship foster parent when the child is in LDSS custody. Virginia says there is no formal income ceiling, but you do have to show enough income to support your household.
• How it helps: It pays monthly maintenance and may also reimburse child care or school and visitation transportation if you pay up front and have receipts.
• How to apply or use it: Start through Foster Virginia or your local DSS. Virginia also allows some kinship waivers so non-safety items can be finished within 6 months after immediate placement.
• What to gather or know first: Fingerprints, references, physician report, home information, income proof, and any caseworker papers.

School enrollment and medical consent issues

Call the school division’s residency office before enrollment day. Virginia school law helps kinship families, but each division uses its own forms and proof list.

• What it is: Virginia school enrollment rules and medical-consent rules for non-parent caregivers.
• Who can get it or use it: Under the Virginia Department of Education enrollment guidance, a child may enroll when living, not solely for school purposes, with an adult relative providing temporary kinship care because the parents cannot care for the child.
• How it helps: It can let you enroll the child in school, get records, and avoid delays. A properly executed power of attorney can help with school and medical issues for up to 180 days.
• How to apply or use it: Bring proof of address, a certified birth certificate or sworn statement if you cannot get one, immunization records, and the school physical. Virginia says local health departments must provide the physical exam without charge to medically indigent children upon request.
• What to gather or know first: Court order, parental power of attorney, parent statement, the child’s immunizations, and the physical form. For routine medical care, ask the doctor’s office exactly what paper they require. Emergency care can still be given under Virginia medical-consent law when delay would harm the child and no authorized person is available in time.

Medicaid and health insurance for grandchildren in a grandparent’s care

Do not assume your Medicare, retirement, or Social Security case controls the child’s coverage. The child may qualify on a separate track.

• What it is: Virginia Medicaid for Children and FAMIS.
• Who can get it or use it: Children under 19 who live in Virginia and meet program rules. Cover Virginia’s 2026 chart shows that, for a family of four, children’s Medicaid goes up to $48,840 yearly and FAMIS goes up to $67,650 yearly, but unusual household setups should still apply for a full review.
• How it helps: Children in Medicaid or FAMIS have no monthly premiums, copayments, deductibles, or other costs for covered services, and children get 12 months of continuous coverage unless a limited exception applies.
• How to apply or use it: Use CommonHelp, call Cover Virginia at 1-833-522-5582, or get free help from local assisters.
• What to gather or know first: Child’s Social Security number or proof of application, proof of Virginia residence, and any current insurance information. If denied, use the Medicaid or FAMIS appeal process.

Food help and child benefits for kinship families

Apply for food help even if the cash case is still pending. Do not wait for TANF to finish first.

• What it is: SNAP, child support through DCSE, and seasonal programs like Virginia SUN Bucks.
• Who can get it or use it: SNAP depends on household and income rules. Child support is most useful when you have custody papers or another recognized caregiving status. SUN Bucks can help school-age children who qualify under the state’s rules each year.
• How it helps: Monthly groceries, summer food help, and support from the child’s parents.
• How to apply or use it: File SNAP through CommonHelp. Open child support through the MyChildSupport portal or call 1-800-468-8894.
• What to gather or know first: Income proof, housing costs, utility bills, custody papers, and last-known parent information. If the child is with an unrelated adult, ask whether Virginia’s General Relief program applies in your locality.

Housing help for seniors raising grandchildren

There is no special Virginia housing voucher just for grandfamilies. The main statewide rent-help path is the Housing Choice Voucher system.

• What it is: The Housing Choice Voucher program run by Virginia Housing and local agencies.
• Who can get it or use it: Low-income households that meet local rules and can get onto a waiting list.
• How it helps: It can lower rent, but payment standards vary sharply by area. Under Virginia Housing’s 2026 payment standards, a two-bedroom standard is $1,054 in Accomack County and $2,246 in Arlington.
• How to apply or use it: Use the Housing Choice Voucher administrators map. Virginia Housing says each of its 32 local housing agencies keeps separate waiting lists, and applications are usually online only when a list opens.
• What to gather or know first: Social Security number for the head of household, correct mailing address, phone, and email. The Virginia Housing waiting-list FAQ says you can add another contact person, which is smart for seniors worried about missed mail.

Support groups and respite help for older caregivers

Ask for support early, before burnout gets bad. Older caregivers often wait too long because they are focused on the child’s crisis first.

• What it is: Regional kinship support, community referrals, local support groups, and some respite-related resources.
• Who can get it or use it: Kinship caregivers, especially those handling behavior, school, trauma, or mental health problems.
• How it helps: The Family First Virginia kinship page describes support groups, training, and community coordination in several regions. The Children’s Services Act can also help some higher-need families through a local Family Assessment and Planning Team. The Kinship Resource Guide Other Support page also points caregivers to the Virginia Lifespan Respite Voucher Program for people with a documented disability or medical condition.
• How to apply or use it: Start with the kinship hotline or ask LDSS whether your locality has a Kinship Navigator, Family Assessment and Planning Team, or partner support group.
• What to gather or know first: School records, counseling history, behavior concerns, and any Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan.

How grandparents can apply for benefits in this state without wasting time

• Open one case at a time, but apply for several programs together. In CommonHelp, screen for TANF, SNAP, medical coverage, and energy help together if you may need all of them.
• Use the right words. Say “I am a grandparent caring for a child full-time and I want to be screened for a child-only TANF case, SNAP, and the child’s Medicaid or FAMIS.”
• Ask the worker to note the kinship situation. This can help stop the case from being treated like an ordinary two-parent household application.
• Upload, then verify. CommonHelp uploads do not always feel instant. Save screenshots and call to make sure the documents attached to the case.
• Keep every notice. Many delays happen because a senior misses one letter asking for proof or misses a renewal date.
• If you are helping a parent or grandparent apply, sit with them. Have the child’s papers, a notepad, and the last four digits of key case numbers ready before you call.

What documents grandparents need

• ☐ Your photo identification and proof of Virginia address
• ☐ The child’s birth certificate, or a sworn statement if you cannot get it yet for school
• ☐ The child’s Social Security number, if available
• ☐ Any court order, placement agreement, foster care paper, or parental power of attorney
• ☐ Proof the child is living with you now
• ☐ School records, report cards, or school contact information
• ☐ Immunization records and the school physical form or equivalent report
• ☐ Income and housing-cost proof for your household
• ☐ Parent names, last-known addresses, and phone numbers if you know them
• ☐ A notebook with dates, worker names, and what you were told

Do not stop just because a paper is missing. Start the application anyway and ask what can be turned in later.

Reality checks

• Child-only TANF is real, but it is not large. For many seniors, it helps, but it will not cover everything.
• Informal care can hit a wall fast. A grandchild may be living with you, but a school or doctor may still say you need better papers.
• Kinship navigator help is useful, but not truly statewide in the same way everywhere. Coverage, staffing, and referrals can vary by region and over time.
• Housing help is often the slowest part. Voucher waitlists can stay closed for long periods, and missed mail can get you dropped.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for a custody hearing before applying for benefits
• Assuming a verbal family agreement gives you school and medical authority
• Not asking whether the TANF case should be child-only
• Ignoring letters from LDSS, Cover Virginia, or the school division
• Assuming a safety placement is the same as foster care
• Letting a housing waitlist use an old address or phone number

Best options by need

• Need cash now: child-only TANF, plus ask about Diversionary Assistance or Emergency Assistance.
• Need legal control: parental power of attorney for short-term help, then court custody if the child will stay with you.
• Need health coverage: Cover Virginia or CommonHelp.
• Need school access fast: call the school division residency office and use the VDOE enrollment guidance.
• Need help navigating the system: kinship hotline 1-888-593-1972 or Virginia 211 at 1-800-230-6977.
• Need housing help: get on every voucher list you truly qualify for and keep your contact information current.

What to do if denied, delayed, or blocked

• Ask for the exact reason in writing. Do not accept “you do not qualify” without a notice that explains why.
• For TANF, SNAP, or General Relief: ask your LDSS for the appeal form or use the form linked from the TANF, SNAP, or General Relief pages.
• For Medicaid or FAMIS: use the Cover Virginia appeal guidance and call 1-833-522-5582. If your local specialist is unavailable, Cover Virginia says you can ask for a supervisor or manager at the agency.
• For school enrollment problems: ask for the residency or enrollment supervisor, not just the front desk, and point to the VDOE kinship-care enrollment guidance.
• For child support delays: use the MyChildSupport portal or call 1-800-468-8894.
• For general roadblocks: call the kinship line at 1-888-593-1972 and Virginia 211 at 1-800-230-6977 for backup referrals while you appeal.

Plan B / backup options

• If TANF is delayed or too small, still push forward with SNAP, Medicaid or FAMIS, and child support.
• If you are not related by blood, marriage, or adoption, ask about General Relief and kinship resources for fictive kin.
• If the bills rose after the child moved in, also screen for energy help through CommonHelp.
• If a parent is cooperative but you cannot get to court soon, use a 180-day parental power of attorney as a temporary bridge.

Local resources in Virginia

• Virginia Kinship Resource Guide: statewide kinship information hub; hotline 1-888-593-1972
• Virginia 211: community referrals statewide; call 1-800-230-6977
• Local DSS finder: find your city or county social services office
• CommonHelp: benefits application portal; phone 855-635-4370
• Cover Virginia: health coverage help; call 1-833-522-5582; TDD 1-888-221-1590
• DCSE: child support services; call 1-800-468-8894
• MyChildSupport: apply, upload papers, and check case activity online
• Virginia Housing: voucher administrators map; call 1-800-835-6698 or 1-877-843-2123; Virginia Relay 711
• Virginia Legal Aid Society: if you live in its service area, see office locations or call 1-866-534-5243
• Hampton Roads kinship help: Virginia Beach Kinship Navigator; call 757-385-3636

Diverse communities

Seniors with Disabilities and Veteran Seniors

The Kinship Resource Guide’s Other Support page points caregivers to Virginia Easy Access and No Wrong Door-style aging, disability, and veteran supports. If caregiving is hurting your health, ask the kinship line what aging or disability support fits your region.

Immigrant and Refugee Seniors

The Virginia Department of Education says public schools may not deny a free public education to children who meet Virginia residency rules because they lack United States citizenship or a student visa. For health coverage, Cover Virginia’s noncitizen guidance explains that some lawfully residing children, asylum applicants, and special immigrant juvenile applicants may qualify.

Rural Seniors with Limited Access

If online forms are hard, use the phone. The kinship line, Virginia 211, CommonHelp, Cover Virginia, and Virginia Housing all have phone options. For voucher waitlists that are online only, Virginia Housing says another person may complete the application for you if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get child-only TANF in Virginia without legal custody?

Often, yes. Virginia’s TANF rules allow a child living with a relative to be considered, and many grandparents apply before a court order is finished. Still, a custody order makes school, medical, and child support issues much easier, so do not stop with the TANF application if the child will stay long-term.

Can I get foster care payments just because my grandchild lives with me?

No. You only get foster care maintenance if the child is in formal foster care and you are the approved kinship foster parent. If the child came to you informally or through a family agreement, the main money paths are usually child-only TANF, SNAP, Medicaid or FAMIS, and possibly child support.

Does Virginia have a kinship navigator in every locality?

No, not in the same direct way everywhere. Virginia has a statewide kinship hotline and resource guide, but direct regional navigator services vary by locality and can change over time. That is why starting with the statewide line at 1-888-593-1972 is usually smarter than guessing which local program is active.

Can I enroll my grandchild in school in Virginia if I am not the parent?

Sometimes, yes. The VDOE enrollment page explains that a child may enroll when living with an adult relative providing temporary kinship care, not solely for school purposes, because the parents cannot care for the child. But the school division may ask for local forms, proof of residence, and sometimes verification from social services.

Can I consent to medical care for my grandchild?

Routine care is often hard without a court order or a properly executed parental power of attorney. Emergency treatment can still happen under Virginia law when delay would harm the child and no authorized person is available in time. For day-to-day care, it is safest to get legal papers in place quickly.

Can my grandchild get Medicaid or FAMIS if I am retired or on Medicare?

Yes, possibly. A child’s Medicaid or FAMIS eligibility is not simply based on your age or Medicare status. If the child is living with you, apply for a full review and let the worker sort out the household rules rather than assuming the answer is no.

What if the child is with a close family friend instead of a grandparent?

That may be a fictive kin situation. Some child welfare paths, including parts of Virginia kinship care and guardianship assistance, can include fictive kin in formal cases. But TANF rules are different for unrelated adults, so ask LDSS whether General Relief or another local option fits.

Resumen en español

En Virginia no existe una sola ayuda estatal en efectivo solo para abuelos que crían a sus nietos. La ayuda más común es una combinación de TANF para el niño solamente, Medicaid o FAMIS, SNAP, apoyo escolar y, si el menor está en foster care, pagos de foster care o KinGAP. El primer paso casi siempre es comunicarse con el departamento local de servicios sociales y abrir una solicitud en CommonHelp.

Si usted recibió al menor de repente, no espere a tener una orden final de custodia para pedir ayuda. Llame a la línea de apoyo para familias de kinship al 1-888-593-1972, a Virginia 211 al 1-800-230-6977, o a Cover Virginia al 1-833-522-5582 para seguro médico. Para la escuela, revise la guía oficial de inscripción escolar en Virginia. Para manutención infantil, use MyChildSupport. Si necesita ayuda en su zona, empiece con la Guía de Recursos de Kinship de Virginia.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, 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 April 7, 2026, next review August 2026.

Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we respond within 72 hours.

Disclaimer: This article is informational only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, and availability can change. Confirm current details directly with the official program before you act.