New Hampshire Kinship Care vs Foster Care: What's the Difference

Kinship Care and Foster Care Are Not the Same Thing

In New Hampshire, a grandparent or relative raising someone else's child might hear both terms used interchangeably — "kinship care" and "foster care." They describe different arrangements with different legal structures, different levels of state involvement, and different financial support. Understanding which one you're in (or could be in) affects everything from school enrollment to medical consent to monthly payments.

Informal Kinship Care

Most relatives caring for a child in New Hampshire are in informal kinship care. This means:

• No DCYF (Division for Children, Youth and Families) case is open
• No court order exists placing the child with you
• A parent asked you to take the child, or circumstances made you the obvious choice
• You have no legal custody or guardianship unless you've filed for one separately

Informal kinship care is by far the most common arrangement. It's also the one with the least built-in support. You have no caseworker. You're navigating school enrollment, medical consent, and benefits applications on your own. Your legal authority to make decisions for the child depends on whatever delegation documents the parent has signed — or whether you've filed for guardianship under RSA 463.

Financial help for informal kinship caregivers comes through FANF child-only grants and Medicaid for the child (applied through NH EASY), not through foster care payments.

Formal Kinship Foster Care

Kinship foster care means DCYF places the child with you as a relative caregiver while the child is in state custody, usually during a child protection proceeding under RSA 169-C. A relative caregiver does not have to be licensed to accept a placement, but licensing affects foster-care reimbursement and support.

In this arrangement:

• DCYF has an open case on the child
• DCYF has placed the child specifically with you, and the placement documents identify who holds legal custody and placement responsibility
• You have a DCYF caseworker assigned to the case
• The state has legal involvement in the child's care

The practical differences are significant:

• Medical consent may be established by a parent or guardian authorization, a court order transferring custody to DHHS for ordinary medical care, or a DHHS letter of guardianship; ask the caseworker for the applicable document
• Financial support may include foster-care reimbursement if you become a licensed relative foster provider
• Oversight is ongoing — caseworker visits, court review hearings, and compliance with state foster care standards
• School enrollment is protected by RSA 193:28. If a residency dispute arises for a child in DHHS custody or court-ordered placement, RSA 193:12, V-b permits attendance in the placement district while the dispute is resolved.

The Trade-Off

Licensed kinship foster care may provide additional financial support, while a DCYF placement brings a caseworker and defined consent procedures. It also comes with state oversight that many families find intrusive. DCYF reviews, home inspections, and court hearings become part of your life. Some relatives choose informal kinship care specifically to keep the state out of a family situation.

The choice isn't always yours to make. A mandatory report does not by itself place a child in foster care: RSA 169-C:29 requires a report when there is reason to suspect abuse or neglect, and DCYF policy says court action does not necessarily require removal. A formal foster placement occurs when DCYF takes placement responsibility for a child in out-of-home care. If you took the child in before any agency arranged care, the arrangement is informal unless you separately obtain a court order or DCYF placement.

Can You Switch?

An informal kinship caregiver can contact DCYF to explore whether a formal kinship foster placement makes sense. This typically requires a child protection concern that justifies DCYF involvement — you can't simply request foster care payments for a child you're voluntarily raising.

Going the other direction, a formal kinship foster care arrangement can transition to a private guardianship under RSA 463 if the DCYF case closes and you petition for guardianship. This removes state oversight while preserving your legal authority.

What Both Arrangements Need

Regardless of whether your situation is informal or formal, the child needs to get into school and see a doctor. The consent instruments — temporary agent appointments, parental delegation letters, guardianship orders — serve informal caregivers who lack the agency-backed authority that formal foster placement provides.

Our New Hampshire School and Medical Consent Guide is built for informal kinship caregivers navigating consent without state backing. It covers every authorization instrument, school enrollment pathway, and medical consent option available when there's no caseworker making calls on your behalf.

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