Children Living with Relatives (Kinship Care)

Kinship Care Services are provided by DHHS, Child Welfare Services, for children who cannot live in their own homes and have been placed in the home of a relative by order of the Juvenile Court.  Services are provided to the children, their parents, and relative caregivers until the children are able to return to their own parents, or another permanent plan is developed.     All children under the age of 18 in need of protections that cannot be provided in their own homes, and who have been determined by the Juvenile Court to need placement are eligible for Kinship Care Services.

Informal Kinship Care

410-767-7521 (Voice)    301-315-7324 (Voice) Montgomery County Public Schools

Informal kinship care is a living arrangement in which children live with a grandparent or other relative due to a serious family hardship. It does not apply to children living with relatives under State custody through the local department of child welfare services.  Relatives providing informal kinship care can file an affidavit that allows them to consent to health care and obtain educational services for children.   A person seeking to become the guardian of a minor child may also file a guardianship petition in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County.  Information may be obtained by calling the Public Guardianship Information Line at 240-777-3991.

Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA)

Germantown: 240-777-3420 (Voice)    Rockville: 240-777-4600 (Voice)  Silver Spring: 240-777-3100 (Voice)

A time limited cash assistance program for eligible children and their parents or other caretaker relatives. The time limit is generally 60 months but varies according to individual circumstance.   Children under the age of 18 who are deprived of parental support due to unemployment, under-employment, death, disability or absence of a parent may be eligible for TCA.  Eligibility depends on the family’s income and assets.   Every TCA applicant and recipient (except for relatives caring for the TCA child) must be enrolled in an activity leading to financial self-sufficiency in order to receive or continue to receive assistance. Cooperation with child support requirements is also a mandatory requirement.

For additional information:

	AARP Grandparent Information Center	1-888-OUR-AARP (Voice)   gic@aarp.org
	National Center on Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children of Generations United 1333 H Street NW, Suite 500W Washington, DC	202-289-3979  (Voice)

National Center for Resource Family Support 1808 Eye Street NW, 5 Floor Washington, DC 20006

202-467-4441 (Voice)  1-888-295-6727 (Toll Free)

The Children's Defense Fund 25 E Street NW Washington, DC 20001

202-628-8787 (Voice)

The Foundation for Grandparenting 108 Franlam Road Ojai, California 93023

gpfound@grandparenting.org