Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support and Resources in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts Kinship Navigator
The Kinship Navigator is a free statewide program run by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). It exists specifically to help relative caregivers — both informal and formal — connect with services. You do not need to be involved with DCF or the court system to use it.
What the Navigator offers:
- Live drop-in Zoom consultations, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- Benefit navigation for TAFDC child-only grants, MassHealth, and SNAP
- Childcare referrals
- Connections to legal aid organizations
Reach them at 1-844-924-4546 or by email at [email protected]. The official portal is mass.gov/kinship-navigator.
The Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
This is a permanent state commission established under Chapter 176 of the Acts of 2008. It publishes resource guides, hosts community resource fairs, and maintains a statewide directory of over 40 relative caregiver support groups.
The Commission's Kinship Tip Sheet Series covers:
- Overview of kinship care options
- Custody choices
- Legal resources
- DCF involvement
- Financial resources
- Support services
- Substance use navigation
Contact: 617-748-2454, 600 Washington Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02111. Website: massgrg.com.
Free Legal Help
Regional legal aid offices can screen whether they are able to help with an affidavit, guardianship petition, or benefit application; eligibility and capacity vary.
Massachusetts Legal Help (masslegalhelp.org): A statewide directory of free legal resources and plain-language guides on family law, guardianship, and caregiver forms.
Children's Law Center of Massachusetts: Free legal representation and advocacy for low-income children in education and custody matters. Call 1-888-KID-LAW8.
Court Service Centers: Located inside major Probate and Family Court buildings, these centers offer free in-person help with court forms, fee waiver applications, and filing procedures.
Parent Professional Advocacy League (PPAL): Supports families navigating youth mental health services, including monthly kinship-specific groups. Call 1-866-815-8182.
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Local Support Groups
Raising someone else's child is isolating. Support groups connect you with people in the same situation. The Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren maintains the most comprehensive directory — over 40 groups across the state, from Boston to the Berkshires. Many meet monthly in community centers, churches, or Family Resource Centers.
The more than 30 Family Resource Centers across Massachusetts also offer parenting programs, crisis support, and connections to local services.
Getting the Right Paperwork First
Support services are more effective once your legal standing is documented. The Caregiver Authorization Affidavit under M.G.L. c. 201F gives you the authority to enroll the child in school, consent to medical care, and apply for benefits — without court involvement. The Kinship Navigator connects caregivers with services and legal resources; the affidavit itself still must be signed and executed under c. 201F requirements.
The Massachusetts School and Medical Consent Guide walks through the affidavit process, school enrollment, medical consent, and benefit applications, and lists every support organization referenced here with their current contact information.
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Download the Massachusetts School and Medical Consent Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.