Informal Kinship Care Benefits in Washington

Most relatives raising a child in Washington are doing it informally — no court order, no guardianship, no involvement from the child welfare system. A grandparent takes in a grandchild because the parent can't manage right now. An aunt steps in when a sibling enters treatment. The arrangement is voluntary, and the question is always: can I get any help without going to court?

The short answer is yes. The majority of Washington's financial assistance programs for kinship caregivers are available to informal caregivers.

What You Qualify For Without a Court Order

TANF Child-Only Cash: The non-needy relative TANF grant is available to eligible informal caregivers. Your income is excluded. The child receives up to $450/month (one child) or $570/month (two children). A signed DSHS Relative Caregiver Declaration (Form 14-432) can help document the care arrangement, but no court order is required.

Basic Food (SNAP): Apply through Washington Connection. The child is included in your food household if you share meals. No court paperwork required — DSHS evaluates the household as it exists.

Apple Health for Kids: Free or low-cost health coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder. If you don't claim the child as a tax dependent, the child is evaluated as a 1-person household using only the child's own income. No court order needed.

WIC: For children under 5. Apply through your local WIC clinic. Grandparents and relatives can apply directly — proof of physical residency and identity is sufficient to apply. A child receiving TANF or Apple Health is adjunctively income-eligible.

KCSP Emergency Funds: One-time emergency grants for beds, clothing, utilities, and other immediate needs. Accessed through your local kinship navigator (call 211). Available to informal caregivers.

School Meals: If the child receives Basic Food or TANF, they're directly certified for free school breakfast and lunch. No separate application needed.

What You Cannot Get Without a Court Order or DCYF Placement

R-GAP (Relative Guardianship Assistance Program): Requires the child to have been in DCYF custody, placed with a licensed foster caregiver, and transitioned to guardianship through a formal agreement. This is unavailable to informal or private-guardianship families.

Child Welfare Continuing Child Care (CWCCC): The zero-copay, no-work-requirement childcare subsidy is only available to families transitioning out of a DCYF dependency case.

Foster care maintenance payments: Only for licensed foster parents with children placed by DCYF.

The Caregiver Declaration: Your Key Document

Without a court order, the DSHS Relative Caregiver Declaration (Form 14-432) can help document the care arrangement. Signed under penalty of perjury, it grants authority for school enrollment and routine healthcare decisions. It can support TANF and Apple Health applications without a court order; DSHS may still request other verification.

For healthcare consent, the declaration is valid for 6 months. Keep track of when you signed it and renew it before it expires if you still need that consent authority.

When Going to Court Makes Sense

Guardianship under RCW 11.130 doesn't unlock more money from DSHS — the TANF child-only grant stays the same. What it gives you is permanent legal authority: the right to make all medical, educational, and financial decisions without needing parental consent or renewing a declaration every 6 months. If the care arrangement is long-term and the parents aren't likely to resume care, guardianship provides stability.

The cost of filing — court fees, potentially attorney fees — can be partially offset by KCSP emergency funds, which cover legal expenses related to guardianship petitions.

The Full Benefits Map

The Washington Financial Help for Kinship Caregivers guide includes a side-by-side comparison of what's available under each legal arrangement — informal care, private guardianship, and DCYF placement — with application steps, required documents, and expected timelines for every program.

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