Maryland Kinship Care Support Groups and Resources

Raising a relative's child is exhausting enough without doing it completely alone. Maryland has a network of support organizations specifically for kinship caregivers — some offer practical help like emergency supplies, others provide legal representation, and a few simply give you a room full of people who understand what you're going through.

Charlene's Circle of Support

One of the most visible kinship advocacy groups in Maryland, Charlene's Circle of Support runs peer support groups, community events, and resource fairs for relative caregivers across the state. They've been vocal about a reality backed by data: for every child in Maryland's formal foster system, approximately 19 children are raised informally by relatives, and over 60% of those families receive no financial assistance at all.

Charlene's Circle connects caregivers with each other, helps navigate the DHS system, and advocates at the legislative level for kinship-specific funding. Their Facebook presence and community events are the easiest entry point.

211 Maryland

Dial 2-1-1 or visit 211md.org. This is the state's centralized referral database — trained operators can connect you to local DSS offices, food banks, utility assistance programs, kinship navigator services, and emergency housing resources. They don't process applications themselves, but they can tell you which office handles what in your county and provide direct phone numbers.

For kinship-specific resources, ask the operator to search their kinship care directory. The online portal also lists local support groups, respite programs, and emergency childcare options.

Free Legal Help

Maryland Legal Aid (1-888-465-2468): Provides free legal representation to low-income residents for custody, guardianship, and benefit appeal cases. Income guidelines and case priorities apply, and staffing limits mean not every case gets accepted.

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (1-800-510-0050): Matches eligible caregivers with pro bono attorneys for guardianship petitions, third-party custody complaints, and family law matters. MVLS notes that kinship guardianship cases require intensive attorney resources, so waitlists can be substantial.

People's Law Library of Maryland (peoples-law.org): Free legal guides, self-help court forms, and benefit eligibility summaries. This is a legal information repository — they can't represent you, but their guides on TCA, kinship care, and third-party custody are accurate and regularly updated.

Maryland Access Point (MAP)

For caregivers aged 55 or older, MAP (1-844-632-8472, marylandaccesspoint.info) connects you to the local Area Agency on Aging and services funded under the National Family Caregiver Support Program (Title III-E). This includes respite care vouchers, supplemental funds for school supplies or tutoring, and caregiver support groups specifically for older relatives raising children.

MAP doesn't handle cash assistance applications — those go through your local DSS. But for non-cash support like short-term childcare relief, summer camp funding, or emergency supplies, this is often the fastest path.

Grandfamilies.org

A national resource maintained by Generations United, Grandfamilies.org publishes state-specific fact sheets, licensing documents, and legislative updates for every state including Maryland. Their Maryland kinship page covers statutory definitions, foster care licensing requirements, and links to state agencies. The fact sheets occasionally carry outdated contact numbers, so verify phone numbers before calling.

Pulling It Together

These resources work best in combination: 211 Maryland identifies what's available, a Kinship Navigator helps you organize your approach, Charlene's Circle connects you to peers, and Legal Aid or MVLS provides legal backup if you need court involvement. The Financial Help for Relatives Raising a Child in Maryland guide ties the benefit side together — cash aid, food, health coverage, childcare, and appeals — with tracking tools to keep every application and deadline organized.

See more Maryland guides →