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Last updated: 27 September 2026
Grandparents raising grandchildren in Wyoming may be able to get financial help through cash assistance, food benefits, health coverage, child-care subsidies, kinship or foster payments, guardianship subsidies, tax credits, and utility help. The right route depends on the child’s placement and legal status.
Bottom Line
Financial help is available, but there is no automatic payment for every Wyoming grandparent caregiver. For informal grandfamilies, start with POWER Caretaker Relative, SNAP, and Medicaid or Kid Care CHIP. If the child is in state custody, ask about relative foster-care payments and guardianship subsidy. Kinship Connections can help identify the right route.
Start Here: Three Financial-Benefit Actions
- Apply for child-focused benefits. Ask the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) to screen the child for POWER cash assistance and SNAP. Wyoming says the Caretaker Relative program is designed for family members such as grandparents who provide daily care when the parents are not in the home.
- Check the child’s health coverage. Use the Wyoming Department of Health Medicaid/CHIP application. A child may qualify even when the grandparent does not qualify for Medicaid.
- Call a kinship navigator. Kinship Connections is a free statewide service. Dial 211 or 1-888-425-7138 and ask for help with benefits, legal papers, school issues, and local resources.
For national background on child-only TANF, kinship payments, food help, health coverage, housing, taxes, and legal status, see the GFS grandparent benefits hub.
Quick Reference: Wyoming Financial Help
| Help type | What it can pay for | Key eligibility issue | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER Caretaker Relative | Basic child needs through monthly cash assistance | Child lives with a qualifying relative who has primary care and control | Wyoming DFS |
| Relative foster care | Food, clothing, housing, supervision, and other foster-care maintenance costs | DFS custody and the relative home’s certification or approval status | Child’s DFS caseworker |
| Guardianship subsidy | Case-specific cash, medical, or permanency support | Applies to qualifying DFS child-welfare cases, not every private guardianship | Child’s DFS caseworker |
| SNAP | Groceries | Household composition, income, deductions, and foster-placement rules | Wyoming DFS |
| Medicaid / CHIP | Medical, dental, prescriptions, and other covered child health care | Child age, residency, immigration rules, and household income | Wyoming Department of Health |
| Child Care Subsidy | Approved child-care costs while the caretaker works, studies, trains, or meets another approved activity | Income, approved activity, and legal caretaker status | DFS / ECARES |
| LIEAP | Part of winter heating costs and qualifying heating emergencies | Wyoming residence and household income | Wyoming LIEAP |
What Has Changed
- POWER rules are on a new benefit year. The current POWER table covers 1 July 2026 through 30 June 2027. The table keeps a $5,000 assistance-unit asset limit and excludes two registered, licensed vehicles from personal assets.
- Wyoming now lists a one-child POWER example. DFS says a Caretaker Relative case for one child with no income or resources could receive $259 per month. Actual eligibility and payment depend on the case.
- The 2026–27 heating season is opening. Wyoming LIEAP is already accepting priority applications from households with a person age 60 or older, a child age 5 or younger, or a disabled household member. Other households may apply beginning 1 October 2026.
Cash Assistance: POWER Caretaker Relative
Wyoming’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program is called Personal Opportunities with Employment Responsibilities, or POWER. Its Caretaker Relative program is one of the strongest financial-help routes for grandparents raising grandchildren outside the foster-care payment system.
The key rule is unusually helpful for some retired grandparents: Wyoming says the Caretaker Relative program counts the child’s income and resources, not the caretaker relative’s income and resources. The caregiver must be responsible for daily care of a child and meet the relationship and other program rules. Review the current POWER eligibility rules and ask DFS to screen the case specifically as “Caretaker Relative.”
This means a grandparent should not assume that Social Security retirement income automatically blocks child-only POWER. The child’s own income can matter, however. Foster-care maintenance and adoption-assistance payments can also affect which cash program is available, so tell DFS exactly what payments the child already receives.
Reality check: The state’s $259 figure is an example for one child with no income or resources, not a guaranteed payment. Ask DFS for the amount used in your case and for the written notice explaining the decision.
Kinship Care, Foster-Care, and Guardianship Payments
Payment depends on the child’s legal placement status. Relative placements do not all receive the same financial help.
| Placement status | Possible payment route | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Informal relative care | POWER, SNAP, Medicaid/CHIP, and other household benefits | “Can you screen the child for Caretaker Relative POWER?” |
| Certified relative foster care | Foster-care maintenance payment | “Is my home certified, and when does maintenance start?” |
| Non-certified relative care | No foster-care maintenance payment; POWER and child medical coverage may be available | “What would I need to become an approved relative foster home?” |
| DFS guardianship | A legal guardianship subsidy may be available in a qualifying child-welfare case | “Is this child eligible for a guardianship subsidy before the order is final?” |
| Adoption from care | Adoption assistance for qualifying children with special needs | “Will an adoption-assistance agreement be signed before finalization?” |
Wyoming’s current child-welfare manual says certified relative foster care can receive foster-care maintenance. Non-certified relative care does not receive foster maintenance, though caretaker-relative POWER and child medical coverage may be available.
The manual also lists Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement and Adoption Assistance/Subsidy Agreement policies. Guardianship subsidy is tied to qualifying child-welfare cases, not every private guardianship. Ask the DFS caseworker about subsidy eligibility before guardianship is finalized.
For qualifying special-needs children, Wyoming may provide recurring adoption assistance and certain medical or counseling support. The adoption assistance policy requires an agreement before finalization.
Food Benefits and Child Health Coverage
SNAP food benefits
SNAP can reduce the grocery cost of adding a grandchild to the home. Wyoming uses a paper SNAP application that can be sent to a local DFS office by mail, fax, or email. After filing, applicants can use the interview line at 1-307-777-8550. The current Wyoming SNAP page explains the application route.
Tell the worker whether the child was placed by DFS, whether foster-care payments are being made, whether a parent still lives in the home, and who normally buys and prepares food together. Those facts can change how the SNAP household is built. Grandparents age 60 or older should also review GFS’s Wyoming SNAP guide for older-adult deductions that may apply to their own household.
Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP
Wyoming Medicaid covers eligible children through age 18. Kid Care CHIP can cover some children who are not eligible for Medicaid. Check the current children’s coverage rules because income, household, residency, and immigration rules apply.
Foster children in DFS custody are among the children’s Medicaid coverage groups. A grandparent does not have to qualify for Medicaid personally for the child to qualify. Keep every eligibility notice because it tells you how to appeal and when to renew.
Child-Care Assistance
Wyoming’s Child Care Subsidy can help with approved care while an eligible parent or caretaker is working, in an employment-related education or training program, meeting POWER requirements, or using another approved activity. The amount DFS pays depends on income and the cost of care. Applications now use ECARES; start from the official child-care assistance page.
For grandparents, legal status matters more here than it does for some other benefits. Wyoming’s child-care policy defines a caretaker as a parent or another adult with a court order giving legal responsibility or guardianship, and foster parents also qualify under that relationship rule. An informal caregiver with no court order should ask DFS what legal document is needed before counting on the subsidy.
Reality check: Child-care assistance is not simply a grandparent benefit. It is tied to income, an approved activity, the child’s eligibility, and caretaker status.
Housing and Utility Help
When a grandchild moves in, the most urgent cost may be rent, a larger unit, or heating rather than a child-specific cash benefit. GFS’s Wyoming housing guide can help you look for rent and affordable-housing routes, while the Wyoming emergency guide covers crisis options.
Wyoming’s Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) helps eligible households with part of winter heating costs. For the 2026–27 season, priority households can apply now if the home includes a person age 60 or older, a child age 5 or younger, or a person with a disability. All other households can apply beginning 1 October 2026. Seasonal assistance runs through 30 April 2027. Review the current LIEAP season rules.
LIEAP pays the fuel vendor rather than handing the heating benefit to the household. Weatherization applications are available year-round. If you need help before a public program can act, local churches and nonprofits may have one-time aid; use the GFS Wyoming charity guide.
Legal Help That Can Unlock Benefits
You do not need full guardianship for every benefit. POWER Caretaker Relative, for example, focuses on the relative’s care and control of the child. But legal authority can matter for child care, school enrollment, medical decisions, records, foster-care status, and permanency payments.
Wyoming has a limited temporary guardianship for education, medical care, and dental care. A qualifying relative with primary physical custody may use it for school enrollment and medical decisions. See the temporary guardianship forms and check the current requirements.
For broader authority, Wyoming provides minor guardianship forms. Ask the benefits office and DFS caseworker how guardianship could affect payments before filing. Eligible households can also seek Legal Aid guardianship help at 1-877-432-9955.
Where to Apply and What to Ask
| Office | Use it for | Best question |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming DFS | POWER, SNAP, child care, child welfare, foster or guardianship subsidy questions | “Which assistance category matches this child’s placement?” |
| Wyoming Health | Medicaid and Kid Care CHIP | “What household and legal-caretaker rules apply to this child?” |
| Kinship Connections | Benefit navigation and referrals | “Can you help me make one benefit plan for this grandchild?” |
| Legal Aid | Guardianship and related civil legal issues | “Which legal order would unlock the service I am being denied?” |
| Aging network | Caregiver support, respite, and older-adult services | “Is older-relative caregiver help available in my county?” |
For online entry points, use the GFS Wyoming benefits portals. Grandparents age 55 or older can also use the GFS Wyoming aging agencies guide. The state’s caregiver support program limits older-relative caregiver services to certain counties, so confirm local availability.
Documents to Gather Before Applying
- Photo ID for the grandparent or caregiver.
- The child’s birth certificate and Social Security number, if available.
- Proof that the child lives with you, such as school, medical, court, or DFS records.
- Any custody, guardianship, foster-care, placement, or adoption papers.
- Benefit letters for the child, including Social Security, child support, foster payments, or adoption assistance.
- Household income information for programs that count household income.
- Rent, mortgage, and utility bills when a program considers shelter costs.
- Child-care provider information if you are applying for a subsidy.
- Every denial, approval, renewal, and request-for-information notice.
If a document is missing, ask whether you can file first and supply it later.
Phone Scripts for Financial Help
POWER and SNAP
“I am a grandparent raising my grandchild. The child’s parent is not living in my home. Please screen us for POWER Caretaker Relative and SNAP. Which income and resources count, what documents do you need, and what is the next step after I file?”
DFS child-welfare case
“Please tell me my exact placement status. Am I certified relative foster care, non-certified relative care, or another placement? What payment does that status allow, and could guardianship subsidy or adoption assistance apply before permanency is finalized?”
Child-care subsidy
“I am raising my grandchild and need child care while I work or attend school. Does my current legal status meet the caretaker rule? If not, what court order or document would DFS accept?”
Kinship navigator
“I need financial help for a grandchild living with me. Please help me check cash assistance, food, health coverage, child care, utility help, legal papers, and any kinship payment that fits our placement.”
Reality Checks
- Child benefits and grandparent benefits are different. POWER Caretaker Relative can focus on the child, while SNAP, child care, LIEAP, tax credits, and senior programs use different household rules.
- Kinship care does not guarantee foster pay. Certification and legal placement status matter.
- Guardianship can change payment options. Ask about subsidy before a DFS permanency order is final.
- Public benefits require reporting changes. A parent moving back in, a new payment, or a placement change can affect eligibility.
- Local help varies. Respite, charity funds, legal services, and housing openings can differ by county.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying for ordinary POWER without asking about the Caretaker Relative category.
- Assuming the grandparent’s Social Security automatically disqualifies the child from POWER.
- Calling any kinship placement a foster placement before confirming the DFS status.
- Finalizing guardianship or adoption in a DFS case before asking what subsidy agreement must be completed.
- Waiting for full guardianship before asking about benefits that may be available sooner.
- Missing a SNAP interview, renewal notice, or appeal deadline.
- Claiming a grandchild on a tax return without checking IRS residency and tiebreaker rules.
Denied, Delayed, or Given the Wrong Category
Ask for the decision in writing. The notice should identify the rule used and explain appeal rights. Wyoming’s current SNAP and POWER policy says a POWER administrative-hearing request is accepted within 30 days of an adverse notice, while SNAP hearing requests are accepted within 90 days. Review the SNAP/POWER hearing rules and do not wait until the final day.
If the dispute is about Medicaid or CHIP, follow the appeal instructions on the health-coverage notice. If the issue is legal custody or guardianship, call Legal Aid. If the problem is that offices keep sending you to each other, call Kinship Connections and ask the navigator to help identify the responsible program.
While a case is pending, use the GFS Wyoming assistance guide to check the grandparent’s own senior benefits that may lower food, housing, medical, or utility costs.
Resumen en Español
Los abuelos que crían a sus nietos en Wyoming pueden tener acceso a ayuda financiera, pero no existe un pago automático para todas las familias. Para muchos hogares, los primeros programas son POWER Caretaker Relative para ayuda en efectivo del menor, SNAP para alimentos y Medicaid o Kid Care CHIP para gastos médicos.
Si DFS colocó al menor con usted, pregunte exactamente cuál es su estatus. Un hogar de cuidado de crianza de parientes certificado puede recibir pagos de mantenimiento. Un hogar de parientes no certificado no recibe ese pago de crianza, aunque el menor puede tener acceso a POWER y cobertura médica. En ciertos casos de bienestar infantil también puede existir un subsidio de tutela legal o ayuda de adopción; pregunte antes de finalizar la tutela o adopción.
Para cuidado infantil, la situación legal del cuidador puede ser importante. Para ayuda con calefacción, LIEAP acepta solicitudes prioritarias para la temporada 2026–27 de hogares con una persona de 60 años o más, un niño de 5 años o menos, o una persona con discapacidad. Para ayuda gratuita para encontrar beneficios y recursos, llame al 211 y pida Kinship Connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get POWER if I receive Social Security?
Possibly. Wyoming says the POWER Caretaker Relative program counts the child’s income and resources, not the caretaker relative’s income and resources. Ask DFS to screen the case specifically under the Caretaker Relative rules. The child’s own income and other payments can still affect the case.
Does Wyoming pay grandparents for kinship care?
Sometimes. A certified relative foster home can receive foster-care maintenance payments when the child is in the required DFS placement. Non-certified relative care does not qualify for foster-care maintenance, although caretaker-relative POWER and child medical coverage may be available.
Can a grandparent get a guardianship subsidy?
In some qualifying DFS child-welfare cases, yes. Wyoming’s current child-welfare manual includes a Legal Guardianship Subsidy Agreement policy. It is not an automatic payment for every private guardianship, so ask the child’s DFS caseworker before guardianship is finalized.
Can I get SNAP for my grandchild?
You can apply and have DFS determine the SNAP household. Tell the worker whether the child was placed by DFS, whether foster-care payments are being made, whether a parent lives in the home, and who buys and prepares food together.
Can my grandchild get Medicaid or CHIP?
Possibly. Wyoming has Medicaid coverage groups for eligible children and Kid Care CHIP for some children who are not eligible for Medicaid. A grandparent does not have to qualify for Medicaid personally for the child to qualify.
Can child-care assistance help a grandparent?
It may. Wyoming’s subsidy program requires financial eligibility, an approved activity such as work or education, and qualifying caretaker status. An informal grandparent caregiver without a court order should ask DFS what legal document is required.
Can I claim tax credits for my grandchild?
Possibly. A grandchild can be a qualifying child for federal tax benefits if IRS relationship, age, residency, support, Social Security number, and other rules are met. If a parent and grandparent can both claim the child, IRS tiebreaker rules may control who can use the child for a particular credit.
Do I need legal custody before applying for benefits?
Not for every program. POWER Caretaker Relative can be based on care and control of the child. Other programs, including Wyoming child-care subsidy, may require a court order or other legal caretaker status. Temporary guardianship can also provide school and medical authority.
About This Guide
Sources: 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. 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: 27 September 2026 · Next review: 27 January 2027
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