Kinship care payments in Virginia come through three main programs, and which one applies to you depends on the child’s legal status and whether a local department of social services is involved. Informal caregivers raising a relative’s child on their own can apply for a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Child Only grant. Relatives approved as kinship foster parents for a child in the custody of a local department receive monthly foster care maintenance payments, currently $580 to $861 depending on the child’s age. Relatives who move from foster parent to permanent legal guardian may qualify for ongoing Kinship Guardianship Assistance (KinGAP) payments. The foster care and KinGAP options pay substantially more than TANF, but they require agency involvement and approval.
TANF Child Only Grant for Informal Caregivers
If you have taken in a relative’s child without any child welfare agency involvement, the TANF Child Only grant is the fastest path to some monthly cash help. Virginia’s TANF program is authorized under Code of Virginia § 63.2-600.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-600 – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Purpose Administration A Child Only grant looks only at the child’s income and resources, not yours, so your wages, savings, or retirement accounts don’t disqualify the child.
To qualify, the child generally must be deprived of parental support because a parent has died, is physically or mentally unable to provide care, or is continuously absent from the home. The child must live with a caretaker relative, be under 18, and be a Virginia resident. Monthly amounts are modest and depend on how many children are in the home. No court order, home study, or foster care case is required, which is what makes this the quickest option.
Apply through the Virginia CommonHelp online portal or in person at your local department of social services.2Virginia CommonHelp. Virginia CommonHelp Have the child’s Social Security number, birth certificate, proof of Virginia residency, and any custody or guardianship papers ready. Because Child Only grants pay far less than kinship foster care, caregivers open to working with the child welfare system usually have stronger financial support available through the routes below.
Kinship Foster Care Maintenance Payments
When a child is in the legal custody of a local department of social services, the department must look for relatives before placing the child with a stranger. If you ask to become a kinship foster parent, the local board is required to give you the necessary forms within 15 days.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-900.1 – Kinship Foster Care Once approved, you receive monthly foster care maintenance payments that are considerably higher than TANF.
As of July 2025, Virginia’s basic monthly maintenance rates are:
- Ages 0 through 4: $580
- Ages 5 through 12: $677
- Ages 13 and older: $861
Children with significant behavioral, emotional, or physical needs may qualify for enhanced maintenance payments on top of these base rates. Virginia uses the Virginia Enhanced Maintenance Assessment Tool (VEMAT) to score the child’s needs, and the enhanced amount rises with the score. Annual supplemental clothing allowances range from $300 for the youngest children to $450 for teenagers.
Approval, Waivers, and Denials
Kinship foster parent approval requires a home study, background checks, and safety inspections, the same as any other foster placement. Virginia recognizes that holding relatives to every non-safety standard would defeat the point of keeping children with family. The Commissioner can waive non-safety-related standards, and training requirements can be temporarily waived for up to six months so a child can be placed with you while you finish the coursework. Permanent waivers for home-related standards that don’t affect safety are considered case by case and reviewed annually.4Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Administrative Code 22VAC40-211-90 – Allowing a Waiver
If the local board denies your request, you are entitled to a written explanation of the reasons and information about how to appeal under Code of Virginia § 63.2-915.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-900.1 – Kinship Foster Care Denials sometimes stem from fixable issues like incomplete paperwork or a home condition that can be corrected quickly, so read that notice carefully before deciding whether to appeal.
Kinship Guardianship Assistance (KinGAP) Payments
Foster care is meant to be temporary. When a child can’t safely return home and adoption isn’t the right fit, Virginia’s two KinGAP programs let you become the child’s permanent legal guardian while continuing to receive financial support. KinGAP payments cannot exceed what the child would have received in foster care, but they can come close, and they continue after the foster care case closes.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-1305 – Federal-Funded Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program
Federal-Funded KinGAP
The federal program under Code of Virginia § 63.2-1305 applies when the child was eligible for federal foster care maintenance payments and lived with you as a foster placement for at least six consecutive months. Returning home or adoption must not be appropriate, the child must have a strong attachment to you, and children age 14 or older must be consulted about the arrangement. If an eligible child has a sibling who doesn’t independently meet all the criteria, that sibling can still be placed in the same guardianship and receive payments.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-1305 – Federal-Funded Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program
The local department negotiates a written agreement with you covering the payment amount, additional services the child will receive, and how payments may be adjusted as circumstances change. The department must also cover nonrecurring expenses associated with obtaining guardianship, up to $2,000, which can offset attorney fees and court costs.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-1305 – Federal-Funded Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program
State-Funded KinGAP
Virginia also runs a separate state-funded program under Code of Virginia § 63.2-1306 for children who don’t meet the federal criteria. The state program requires the child to have been in the custody of the local department for at least 90 days, compared with six months under the federal version.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-1306 – State-Funded Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program For families trying to move toward permanency quickly, that shorter timeline can matter. As with the federal program, payment amounts and terms are negotiated based on the child’s needs.
Health Coverage That Comes With the Payments
Children placed with kinship foster parents are eligible for Medicaid, which covers medical, dental, and behavioral health services.7Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. Medicaid for Youth in Foster Care For informal caregivers who aren’t part of the foster care system, the child may still qualify for Medicaid or FAMIS (Virginia’s Children’s Health Insurance Program) based on the child’s own income, which is usually minimal.
Are Kinship Care Payments Taxable?
Kinship foster care maintenance payments and KinGAP payments are generally excluded from your federal gross income under Internal Revenue Code § 131, which treats “qualified foster care payments” made through a state foster care program as nontaxable. Difficulty-of-care payments for children with physical, mental, or emotional needs are also excludable, capped at 10 qualifying individuals under age 19.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 131 – Certain Foster Care Payments TANF Child Only grants are also generally not taxable at the federal level, as public assistance rather than earned income.
Separately, you may be able to claim the child for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. The IRS treats grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and foster children placed by a government agency as qualifying children when the child lives with you for more than half the year and meets the age requirements.9Internal Revenue Service. Qualifying Child Rules Those credits can add thousands of dollars a year, so they’re worth pursuing even though the foster care payments themselves aren’t taxed.
Where To Apply and Get Help
The application path depends on the program. For a TANF Child Only grant, apply through Virginia CommonHelp or at your local department of social services.2Virginia CommonHelp. Virginia CommonHelp For kinship foster care payments and KinGAP, the process runs through your local department of social services, not CommonHelp, and the child must already be in the department’s legal custody.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 63.2-900.1 – Kinship Foster Care If you know a child has been removed from a relative’s home, contact the local department yourself rather than waiting to be found.
Virginia operates Kinship Navigator Programs through local departments of social services that provide information, referrals, short-term case management, and connections to community services for relatives raising children.10Virginia Department of Social Services. Kinship Care A navigator can help you identify which benefits you qualify for and walk you through applications. A statewide toll-free support line runs 24 hours a day at (888) 593-1972, with referrals for housing help, Medicaid, SNAP, child care subsidies, and related services. If you’re not sure which program fits your situation, that line or your local department is the right first call.