Washington Child-Only TANF for Grandparents and Relative Caregivers

Most grandparents and relatives assume their own retirement income, wages, or savings disqualify the child from cash assistance. In Washington, that assumption costs families hundreds of dollars a month in unclaimed benefits.

How Non-Needy Relative TANF Works

Washington's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program has a specific pathway for grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, and other relatives raising a child who isn't theirs. When you apply for cash assistance solely on behalf of the child — not for yourself — DSHS classifies you as a non-needy caretaker relative.

That classification changes everything. Under WAC 388-450-0162, your personal income and assets are completely excluded from the eligibility calculation. Your pension, your Social Security check, your savings account, your spouse's wages — none of it counts. DSHS evaluates only the child's own income (Social Security survivor benefits, child support payments, trust distributions) against the payment standard.

This income exclusion has been permanent since July 1, 2018, when the Washington legislature eliminated means testing for non-needy relative caregivers under Chapter 20, Laws of 2017 (2ESSB 5890). Historical references to a "300% Federal Poverty Level" threshold for caregiver income no longer apply.

Monthly Grant Amounts

The grant depends on how many children are in the assistance unit:

• 1 child: $450/month
• 2 children: $570/month
• 3 children: $708/month
• 4 children: $842/month
• 5 children: $978/month
• 6+ children: $1,026/month (state cap)

These are the WAC 388-478-0020 payment standards. If the child has countable income, DSHS subtracts it dollar-for-dollar from the grant. A grandchild receiving $150/month in Social Security dependent benefits with a 1-child standard of $450 would receive $300/month.

No WorkFirst, No Time Limit

Two rules that apply to regular adult TANF do not apply here. Non-needy caretaker relatives are exempt from WorkFirst mandatory work participation — you won't be required to attend job training or search for employment. And the federal 60-month lifetime limit on cash assistance applies only to adult recipients. Child-only grants continue as long as the child is eligible and under 18 (or under 19 if in high school or vocational training full-time).

Child Support Cooperation

Applying for TANF requires assigning the child's support rights to the state and cooperating with the Division of Child Support to establish parentage and pursue support from the biological parents. If you don't cooperate without an approved reason, DSHS applies a 25% reduction to the child's grant under WAC 388-422-0010.

There's an important exception. Under WAC 388-422-0020, you can claim Good Cause if cooperating with DCS would cause serious physical or emotional harm to you or the child, if the child was conceived through incest or rape, or if cooperation would interfere with pending adoption proceedings or formal child-placement discussions. Check the box during your application or tell your caseworker directly — DCS suspends enforcement while DSHS reviews the claim.

Who Counts as an Eligible Relative

DSHS defines eligible caretaker relatives broadly: grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, nieces, nephews, first cousins, and individuals acting in loco parentis. You do not need a court order or guardianship. An informal family arrangement where the child lives with you can qualify; a signed DSHS Relative Caregiver Declaration (Form 14-432) can help document the care arrangement.

What to Do Next

Apply through Washington Connection at washingtonconnection.org or visit your local DSHS Community Services Office. Bring the child's birth certificate, Social Security card, proof of residency, and any caregiver declaration you have. Processing takes up to 30 calendar days.

For a complete walkthrough of the application, the documents you need, and how child-only TANF fits with Basic Food, Apple Health, and other Washington programs available to kinship caregivers, the Washington Financial Help for Kinship Caregivers guide covers every program and agency step by step.

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