Kinship Care

Kinship Care is a program designed to help support a child who resides outside of his or her own home, either temporarily or for the long term, with the relative (such as an adult brother or sister, a first cousin, a nephew or niece, an uncle or aunt or a grandparent, among others). The funding for Kinship Care is provided to counties and tribes that administer kinship care through the annual state/county contract. These agencies are required to report to the Department if they need to create a waiting list for kinship care funding, and several counties and tribes have found it necessary to develop such lists. Kinship Care funds are allocated to the counties and tribes based on a one-year average of caseloads. In order to assure that funds are utilized to the greatest extent possible, the Department, with the concurrence of the counties, reallocates the funds near the end of each calendar year. Counties and tribes may also invest other locally available funds in the Kinship Care Program. Reporting and payment information for counties is available on the appendix to the state and county contract. The allocation is available at the DCF State/County Contract website.

An annual deob\reob survey of spending determines the reallocation of available funding each calendar year.  The deob\reob survey is completed in the fall of each calendar year. 


The Department of Children and Families, protecting children, strengthening families, building communities.