Caregiving Without Becoming a Foster Parent
North Carolina Legal Options for Kinship Caregivers
Once the child is in Department of Social Services (DSS) custody, DSS will look for relatives to care for the child while they work with the child’s parents to resolve the safety issues in the home. If you agree to care for the child, you will be given the option of becoming a licensed foster parent. Kinship caregivers are vital partners in providing safe and stable connections and homes for children and youth. The Unlicensed Kinship Care payment program was launched in November 2023. Unlicensed Kinship Care providers may be eligible to receive financial support. Speak to your DSS to see if you qualify or email KinshipKonnectNC@dhhs.nc.gov for more information and resources.
What Is Required of the Kinship Caregiver?
- DSS will complete a home assessment (the Comprehensive Provider Assessment), which is less involved than the Mutual Home Assessment used for licensing kinship foster families. If you were this child’s Temporary Placement Safety Provider, you would have already completed this assessment.
- Background checks are required for everyone 18 or older living in your home. This background check is through a county record search, and no fingerprints are required. DSS will also review 911 calls from your address.
- While the child is in DSS custody, they will receive services such as Medicaid, daycare subsidy, therapy, assistance with visits with birth parents, etc., regardless of whether their kinship caretaker becomes licensed.
- The Unlicensed Kinship Care payment program was launched in November 2023. Unlicensed Kinship Care providers may be eligible to receive financial support. Speak to your DSS to see if you qualify or email KinshipKonnectNC@dhhs.nc.gov for more information and resources.
Advantages vs. Disadvantages of Caregiving Without Becoming a Foster Parent
Advantages
- Some kinship caregivers want to avoid taking 15 hours of training (NTDC) to become licensed foster parents. Although the training does take time, the information gained is valuable in raising this child who has experienced disruption in their life.
- The home assessment required for kinship caregivers who are not a licensed foster parent (the Comprehensive Provider Assessment) is less involved than the assessment for foster parents (the Mutual Home Assessment), and some kin families find it less intrusive. However, if the kinship caregiver was a Temporary Placement Safety Provider and had a Comprehensive Provider Assessment done, that may be able to be used instead of the Mutual Home Assessment. Ask your caseworker.
- The Comprehensive Provider Assessment completed for unlicensed kinship caregivers does not require all adults in the home to be fingerprinted. Using the Comprehensive Provider Assessment completed when you were a Temporary Placement Safety Provider may be possible instead of the Mutual Home Assessment. Ask your caseworker.
- Unlicensed kinship caregivers can apply for Work First (child-only TANF), but this payment will be significantly less than the foster parent monthly board payment.
- While the child is in DSS custody, they will receive services such as Medicaid, daycare subsidy, therapy, assistance with visits with birth parents, etc., regardless of whether their kinship caretaker becomes licensed.
Disadvantages
- Once children are in foster care, the kinship caregiver is subject to all the rules regardless of whether they are licensed foster parents. If you are not licensed, you have the rules but with limited benefits. (The Unlicensed Kinship Care payment program was launched in November 2023. Unlicensed Kinship Care providers may be eligible to receive financial support. Speak to your DSS to see if you qualify or email KinshipKonnectNC@dhhs.nc.gov for more information and resources.)
- Many grandparents and other kin assume that the arrangement will be temporary and that the child will soon reunite with their parents; therefore, they don’t want to take the time to become licensed foster parents. However, reunification can often take time, so while the parents and DSS are working on getting the child back home, the kinship caregiver may want to get licensed, so they receive support.
Tips
Develop good working relationships with any child welfare worker or other service providers helping you. You should feel like you are partners working for the best interest of this child. Ask if your county has a specific person who works with kinship families. Communicate respectfully what you and the child need and promptly respond to requests for more information. Ask for a different caseworker if you need a better working relationship.
What If the Child Will Not Be Able to Go Home?
DSS custody of the child is temporary. First, they will work with the parents to address the safety issues that caused them to remove the child. Once those issues are addressed, the parents will regain custody, and the child will go home. If the safety issues are not corrected, DSS must look for other options so the child will not remain in their custody. These are called “permanency options,” and they include custody, guardianship, and adoption. DSS will work with the kinship caregiver to decide which option is best for the child and family.
