Aunt or Uncle Raising a Child in California: Benefits You Can Get

Most of the information out there about kinship care benefits in California is written for grandparents. But California law doesn't limit financial assistance to grandparents — it covers relatives within the fifth degree of kinship. That includes aunts, uncles, and a lot of other family members who stepped up when a child needed someone.

Who Counts as a Qualifying Relative

Under CDSS policy (MPP 44-209), a "caretaker relative" includes anyone related to the child by blood, marriage, or adoption within the fifth degree. That's a wider circle than most people expect:

• Second degree: grandparents, siblings
• Third degree: aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, great-grandparents
• Fourth degree: great-aunts, great-uncles, first cousins
• Fifth degree: first cousins once removed, great-great-aunts/uncles

An aunt raising a niece has exactly the same eligibility as a grandmother raising a grandchild. The programs don't distinguish between the two.

CalWORKs Child-Only Grant

File Form CW 2219 as a non-needy caretaker relative. The county evaluates only the child's income and resources — your finances are excluded entirely. You don't need legal custody or guardianship. The child just needs to be living with you.

Monthly grant amounts (effective October 2026) depend on the number of children and your county's region:

• One child: $784–$914/month
• Two children: $1,281–$1,476/month
• Three children: $1,588–$1,828/month

These are the exempt (child-only) rates, which are slightly higher than standard CalWORKs because there's no employable adult in the assistance unit.

CalFresh (Food Benefits)

Apply through BenefitsCal.com. If you purchase and prepare food separately from the child, or if the child receives foster care or Kin-GAP payments, the child may qualify as a separate CalFresh household. A separate household means the child's food benefits are calculated based on the child's income alone, not your household's.

For 2026–2027, a one-person CalFresh household can receive up to $298–$306/month in food benefits.

Medi-Cal

Children under 19 qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal regardless of immigration status. If you don't claim the child as a tax dependent (which is common for aunts and uncles who took in a child recently), the child is classified as a "non-filer" — and Medi-Cal eligibility is based solely on the child's own income. Most children in informal kinship care have little or no income, so they qualify easily.

Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit

Aunts and uncles are relatives within the fifth degree, which means you can complete all eight items on California's Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit. Items 1–4 cover school enrollment and school-related medical care. Items 5–8 — available only to relatives — grant full medical, surgical, and dental consent authority.

The affidavit doesn't require notarization, a court order, or a parent's signature. It's valid as long as the child lives with you.

What Aunts and Uncles Can't Access (Without Court Involvement)

Two major programs require the child to be placed through the juvenile dependency system:

• Kin-GAP (Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment) — requires at least six months of approved relative placement under juvenile court jurisdiction, plus legal guardianship
• ARC funding (Approved Relative Caregiver) — requires the child to be a court dependent

These programs pay at foster care rates, which are substantially higher than CalWORKs child-only grants. But they're only available when child welfare is involved. If you're raising a niece or nephew informally — without CPS involvement — CalWORKs child-only, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal are your primary programs.

Finding Your County's Kinship Resources

Some California counties fund a Kinship Support Services Program (KSSP), and the services vary by area. Where available, KSSP can provide:

• Emergency funding for clothing, beds, and utilities
• Respite care
• Peer support groups
• Referrals to legal aid for guardianship questions

Call 2-1-1 to ask whether KSSP is available in your area and how to reach the local provider. The California kinship financial help guide includes a county-by-county resource breakdown and the full application process for every program available to relative caregivers — not just grandparents.

See more California guides →