Maine Kinship Care Support Groups, Training, and Resources

Raising someone else's child can be isolating, especially when your friends are retired and your social calendar revolved around a life that no longer exists. Support groups connect you with other grandparents and relatives in the same situation — people who understand the 2 a.m. homework sessions and the complicated grief over your own adult child.

AFFM Kinship Program

Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (AFFM) runs the state's primary kinship support network. Their services include:

• Peer support groups for grandparents and relative caregivers, both in-person and virtual
• One-on-one navigation to help you access benefits, find legal aid, and solve administrative problems with schools or agencies
• Material assistance — donated clothing, household goods, new diapers, bedding, backpacks, and school supplies, subject to availability
• Training sessions covering topics like trauma-informed parenting, navigating DHHS systems, and understanding children's behavioral needs

AFFM operates separately from foster care licensing and recruitment. Reaching out to them does not involve DHHS or any agency oversight of your home.

Contact AFFM at 207-827-2331 or visit their website to find upcoming support group meetings near you.

Area Agencies on Aging

If you are 55 or older and raising a relative's child, Maine's Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) provide services funded through the National Family Caregiver Support Program (Title III-E of the Older Americans Act):

• Caregiver support groups specifically for older adults raising grandchildren
• Counseling and stress management resources
• Respite care so you can take a break
• Information and referral to other community services

Call the statewide AAA toll-free line at 1-877-353-3771 to find your local agency.

211 Maine

Dialing 211 from any Maine phone connects you to a trained resource specialist who can direct you to services in your county. Tell them you are a grandparent or relative raising a child, and ask about:

• Kinship caregiver support groups in your area
• Food banks, clothing closets, and diaper banks
• Childcare options and after-school programs
• Transportation assistance for medical appointments and school

211 Maine provides an online directory of local services and information and referral by phone.

Online Resources

When in-person groups are hard to reach — especially in rural Maine — online communities and statewide organizations fill the gap:

• AARP GrandFacts Maine publishes state-specific fact sheets for grandparents raising grandchildren, including summaries of benefits and agency contacts
• Grandfamilies.org (maintained by Generations United) tracks state laws and policies affecting kinship caregivers nationwide, with a Maine-specific section
• Maine Office of the Child Advocate (1-866-621-0758) reviews complaints and may investigate state-agency actions involving children — a resource if you feel DHHS is not treating you fairly

Training That Helps at Home

AFFM and AAAs periodically offer training classes relevant to kinship caregivers:

• Trauma-informed caregiving: understanding behavioral issues in children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or parental substance use
• Navigating school systems: how to enroll a child, request IEP or 504 accommodations, and communicate with school administrators when you are not the biological parent
• Benefits application workshops: hands-on help filling out TANF, SNAP, and MaineCare applications

Ask AFFM or your Area Agency on Aging about the next scheduled training in your region.

Connecting the Pieces

Support groups address the emotional side. Benefits address the financial side. The Maine Kinship Financial Help guide covers the full financial picture — every program, every application, every deadline — so you can show up to your support group focused on the human parts of this journey instead of worrying about which form to file next.

See more Maine guides →