Kinship care is when a relative or close family friend steps in to care for a child who cannot safely live with their parents. This can be a temporary or long-term arrangement, and it plays a vital role in keeping children connected to their family, culture, and community during a difficult time.

Kinship caregivers may be grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, or even non-relatives who have a strong, trusted relationship with the child. Some caregivers become licensed through the state, while others provide care informally.

Kinship caregivers involved in the foster care system do not have to be a licensed caregiver in the state of Kansas to provide placement of a relative child. However, there is opportunity for a relative caregiver to obtain their kinship license for the specific child in their home. Benefits include: receiving more financial support, ongoing training and peer networks, eligibility for respite care up to 2 days per month.

Click here to learn more about Kinship Licensing

View the Department for Children and Families Informational Flyer

A Kinship Navigator Program is a support service designed to help relatives and close family friends (kinship caregivers) who are raising children when the biological parents are unable to do so.

Kinship navigators connect caregivers to resources, services, and information they need to care for the child safely and effectively. These programs often provide:

• Help accessing benefits
• Guidance on legal options
• Support for mental health, education, and healthcare needs
• One-on-one navigation assistance through complex systems
• Connections to local support groups and kin-specific resources

Find a Kinship Navigator Program:

• FosterAdopt Connect
  • Serving Wyandotte, Johnson, Bourbon, Crawford, Neosho, Labette, and Cherokee counties
• Kansas Family Advisory Network (KFAN)
  • Serving all Kansas counties
• Kansas Children’s Service League
  • Serving Sedgwick, Cowley, Sumner and Butler counties

TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) can provide monthly financial support for kinship caregivers. Here’s what you need to know:

Basic Eligibility

• You care for a child under 18 living in your home.
• Your household meets income and asset limits set by Kansas DCF.
• You agree to cooperate with Child Support Services, if needed.

How to Apply

• Apply online through the Kansas DCF website or use a paper application.
• Resource Center locations
• Submit required documents (e.g., birth certificates, proof of income, proof of legal right to child/relationship).
• You may need to complete an interview.
• For benefits assistance call 1-888-369-4777