New Hampshire Kinship Care Resources for Grandparents and Relatives

When You're Raising a Grandchild and Don't Know Where to Start

Taking in a grandchild or a niece or nephew overnight — because a parent entered treatment, went to jail, or just couldn't cope — is one of the hardest transitions a family can face. You're suddenly managing school enrollment, pediatrician visits, and benefit applications with no court order and no playbook. New Hampshire has a small but functional network of kinship care resources designed for exactly this situation.

Here's what's available and how to reach it.

The NH Kinship Navigator Program

The statewide Kinship Navigation Program connects relative caregivers with local Kinship Navigators at Family Resource Centers. NH Children's Trust publishes the Kinship Caregiver Guide; 2-1-1 New Hampshire can also connect you with community resources (dial 2-1-1 from any phone, or visit 211nh.org).

A navigator can help you with:

• Benefit screening — identifying whether the child qualifies for FANF child-only grants, Medicaid, or CHIP coverage through NH EASY
• Peer support connections — linking you with other grandparents and relative caregivers in your county
• Community referrals — food pantries, clothing assistance, respite care, and local Family Resource Centers
• Administrative guidance — explaining what documents you'll need for school enrollment or medical appointments

Navigators can connect you with legal advocacy, but they are not a substitute for an attorney representing you in a guardianship case. They can help you identify which service to contact first.

603 Legal Aid and NH Legal Assistance

When you need legal help — contested guardianship, a parent who won't sign delegation paperwork, or a school district that's refusing enrollment — apply through 603 Legal Aid (603legalaid.org, 1-800-639-5290), the statewide centralized intake point for civil legal aid. New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) is a separate legal aid organization. Ask 603 Legal Aid whether it, NHLA, or another program can assist with a minor guardianship under RSA 463.

The intake process involves income verification, and high demand means there are wait times. Call early in the process rather than waiting until a crisis escalates.

DCYF and DHHS: When the State Is Involved

If the child came to you through a Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) placement, a caseworker will be assigned to help carry out the child's plan with the family. Ask the caseworker which documents establish who can consent to medical care and handle school matters.

For informal kinship arrangements where no DCYF case exists, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) still matters for benefits. Through NH EASY (nheasy.nh.gov), a caretaker relative can apply for FANF assistance and Medicaid for the child. Ask DHHS who should be the benefits casehead and how to record any authorized representative; that benefits role does not itself grant legal custody.

Local Family Resource Centers

New Hampshire's network of Family Resource Centers offers practical help that's often closer to home than state offices. Centers in Laconia, Berlin, Keene, Manchester, and other communities offer services that vary by location, including parenting programs, workshops, home visits, basic-needs assistance, and referrals. Kinship Navigators can connect caregivers with resources such as food assistance, school supplies, respite care, and benefits applications. Your 2-1-1 specialist can help identify a nearby center.

Disability Rights Center-NH

If the child you're caring for has a disability or suspected disability, the Disability Rights Center-NH (DRC-NH, 603-228-0432) provides specialized advocacy for special education disputes, IEP participation, and Section 504 accommodations. Under IDEA regulations, a relative acting in place of a parent may qualify as a "parent" for special education purposes when the child lives with that relative, or when the relative is legally responsible for the child's welfare. If more than one person qualifies, the biological or adoptive parent is generally presumed to act as the IDEA parent unless that parent lacks educational decision authority or a court order identifies someone else.

Putting It Together

Free resources handle specific pieces of the puzzle. What they don't provide is an organized system for tracking which documents expire, which forms each office needs, and what to do when an administrator says no. Our New Hampshire School and Medical Consent Guide brings the consent forms, enrollment workflows, and escalation protocols into one printable reference — designed to work alongside the free support network, not replace it.

Start with 2-1-1 for navigation. Add 603 Legal Aid if you need legal representation. And keep a binder ready for every appointment.

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