Legal Aid and Free Kinship Care Resources in West Virginia
You're raising a relative's child in West Virginia and you have questions — about guardianship papers, about school enrollment, about whether you qualify for financial help. The good news is that West Virginia has more free kinship support infrastructure than most states. The challenge is finding it all in one place.
Legal Aid of West Virginia (LAWV)
Legal Aid of West Virginia is the starting point for most kinship caregivers who need legal help. Their Kinship Care Program provides free legal representation and guidance to low-income relatives raising children.
What they help with:
- Guardianship petitions and court filings
- Caregiver consent affidavits and powers of attorney
- Public benefits applications and disputes
- School enrollment problems
- Special education advocacy
Main line: 1-866-255-4370
Kinship Hotline: 304-414-5449 (Mondays, 2:00–4:00 PM). This is a direct line to a kinship legal advocate — you can ask questions about your specific situation without scheduling a full intake appointment.
LAWV has field offices in Clarksburg, Huntington, and Martinsburg. Their Solid Foundations Project provides pro bono legal representation for kinship families who need long-term legal stability — guardianship that will hold up, custody arrangements that protect the child.
The Kinship Connector
LAWV's Kinship Connector is an online tool that provides free legal information and helps kinship caregivers understand custody options and complete paperwork for adoption, guardianship, and temporary care agreements. It's available 24/7 at no cost.
The Connector is designed for caregivers who are comfortable working through an online form on their own. If you need someone to explain the options first, call the Kinship Hotline.
LAWV's Kinship Care Booklet
Legal Aid of West Virginia, in partnership with Mission West Virginia, published a downloadable Kinship Care Booklet. The 2021 booklet includes document checklists, a caregiver health-care affidavit template, a temporary care and custody agreement, and a directory of agencies and support organizations; it does not include the §49-8-4 statutory power of attorney.
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Mission West Virginia
Mission West Virginia is a nonprofit that supports kinship and foster families with resource referrals, guidebooks, and caregiver support networks. They're not a legal services organization — they're a connective resource that helps families find the right services.
Phone: 304-562-0723
The DoHS Kinship Hub
The Department of Human Services (DoHS) Bureau for Social Services operates an online Kinship Hub at kinshiphub.bss.wv.gov. The portal helps kinship families identify their needs, explore public benefits options, and connect with local resources.
If you're dealing with the DoHS system because of a CPS safety plan or a formal child welfare case, the Kinship Hub is particularly useful for understanding what the state offers to relative placements.
West Virginia 211
For immediate non-legal needs — emergency housing, food banks, utility assistance, mental health crisis support — dial 2-1-1. The service operates 24/7 and connects you with resources in your county.
Putting It All Together
Each of these resources handles a piece of the kinship puzzle. LAWV handles legal questions and court papers. Mission WV connects you to community support. DoHS manages benefits and child welfare cases. The 211 line covers emergencies and basic needs.
The West Virginia school and medical consent guide ties the administrative pieces together — which forms to file first, what each institution requires, and how to track expiration dates and renewal deadlines — so you can walk into your legal aid appointment or your school enrollment meeting already prepared.
Get Your Free West Virginia School and Medical Consent Checklist
Download the West Virginia School and Medical Consent Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.