Indiana Kinship Care Paperwork Checklist for Grandparents

You Took in a Child Overnight — Now What Do You Need on Paper?

A child lands in your home because a parent is in crisis, and within 48 hours you are standing at a school front desk, a pediatrician's office, and a DCS intake line, each asking for different documents you do not have yet. The biggest source of stress for kinship caregivers in Indiana is not knowing which forms matter, which ones you can get on your own, and which ones require the parent's cooperation.

This checklist walks through every document a grandparent or relative caregiver in Indiana typically needs, organized by what you can do immediately, what requires a parent's signature, and what involves a court.

Documents You Can Gather on Your Own

These do not require the parent's cooperation. Start here:

• Proof of your address: utility bill, lease, or property tax statement showing your home is in the school district where you plan to enroll the child
• Your government-issued photo ID: driver's license or state ID
• The child's birth certificate: if you do not have it, request a certified copy through the state vital statistics registrar; check that office's current fee and request instructions
• Immunization records: contact the child's previous pediatrician or the Indiana State Immunization Information System (CHIRP) to request a printout
• Prior school transcripts: request from the child's last school; the new school can also request these directly
• IDOE Form II (Custodial Statement and Agreement): this state form establishes the child's legal settlement in your school district under IC 20-26-11. You sign it as the caregiver providing full-time care. Some districts also ask for documentation of the parent's absence or a brief statement explaining the living arrangement.
• Insurance documentation: the child's Medicaid/Hoosier Healthwise card, CHIP enrollment, or private insurance card. If the child has no coverage, a relative caregiver can apply for Medicaid on the child's behalf through the FSSA benefits portal at fssabenefits.in.gov.

Documents That Need a Parent's Signature

If the parent is reachable and willing to cooperate, these instruments give you the broadest authority without going to court:

• Parental Delegation Power of Attorney (IC 29-3-9-1): the parent signs a notarized document granting you authority over healthcare, school enrollment, and daily care decisions for up to 12 months. This is the single most useful document a kinship caregiver can have. It must be notarized — many banks, UPS stores, and county clerks' offices offer notary services.
• IDOE Form I (Custodial Statement — Divorce/Separation/Abandonment): used when the parents are divorced, separated, or have abandoned the child; Form II is the caregiver-only route for a relative providing full-time care and support.

Documents for Specific Situations

Depending on your circumstances, you may also need:

• Standby Guardian Declaration (IC 29-3-3-7): the parent names you as the person who takes over if they die or become incapacitated. This is a notarized document that activates only on the triggering event and lasts 90 days — during which you must file for formal guardianship if you want permanent authority.
• IC 16-36-1-5 consent letter: if you have no POA and qualify as a person in loco parentis, you may consent when a higher-priority guardian is unavailable, declines to act, or is unknown after reasonable inquiry. A letter stating that you are the child's full-time caregiver, explaining why the higher-priority person is unavailable, and citing Indiana Code 16-36-1-5 is not legally required but can help front-desk staff unfamiliar with the statute.
• School meal application (free/reduced lunch): children in kinship care are often categorically eligible based on household income. The application is available through the school.
• Medicaid application: if the child is not currently insured, a relative caregiver can apply on the child's behalf through Indiana FSSA; eligibility is determined under the child's applicable program rules.
• KISS helpline: Kinship Indiana Support Services (800-800-5556) provides helpline support and regional navigator services for relative caregivers.

Court Documents (When You Need to Go Further)

You do not need these to enroll a child in school or take them to the doctor under most circumstances. But if the parent is actively opposing the child's placement with you, or if you need long-term legal standing, these come into play:

• Guardianship petition (IC 29-3-5): filed in the county probate or circuit court. Requires a formal petition, notice to the parents, and a court hearing. Indiana Legal Help (indianalegalhelp.org) has the official form packets.
• CHINS Disclosure Form 4012: required with any guardianship petition. Discloses whether the child has been involved in a CHINS (Child in Need of Services) proceeding.
• Free legal aid: Indiana Legal Services (1-844-243-8570) provides free representation to income-qualifying kinship caregivers filing for guardianship.

Keep Everything in One Place

Kinship caregivers carry more paperwork than most parents ever deal with, and you will be asked for the same documents repeatedly — at school, at the doctor's office, at DCS, at the pharmacy. Make two copies of everything: one in a physical folder you can grab when you leave the house, and one stored digitally (photos on your phone work fine as backups).

Mark expiration dates. A POA expires after 12 months. Immunization records need updating as the child gets new shots. Medicaid eligibility is reviewed annually. Set calendar reminders 30 days before anything lapses.

The Indiana School and Medical Consent Guide includes a document preparation checklist, an authority expiration tracker, and every form template a kinship caregiver needs — organized so you can work through it in one sitting and have your paperwork ready for school, the doctor, and anything else that comes up.

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