Wisconsin Kinship Care Annual Review and Renewal

The 12-Month Review Is Mandatory

Once you're approved for Kinship Care payments, eligibility is not permanent. Wisconsin requires an annual review to confirm that the child is still living with you, the placement is still in the child's best interest, and all household members still pass background check requirements.

The agency initiates the review using Form DCF-F-5369-E (Review of Eligibility and Notice of Change of Circumstance). You'll receive this form as your review date approaches — typically near the anniversary of your original approval.

What the Agency Checks

The annual review covers the same ground as the initial application:

Household composition. Who lives in the home? Has anyone moved in or out? If a new adult has joined the household since your last review, they'll need to pass the same criminal background check, child abuse and neglect registry screening, and fingerprint-based check that you went through initially.

The child's living arrangement. Is the child still residing in your home? Has the child returned to a parent, moved to another relative, or entered foster care?

Best-interest determination. Does the placement continue to serve the child's best interest?

Child's financial changes. Has the child started receiving SSI (which would make them ineligible for Kinship Care) or had a change in child-specific income?

Your continued qualification. Do you still meet the relationship definition? For like-kin caregivers admitted under Act 119, the significant emotional relationship must still hold.

What Can Go Wrong

The most common problems at renewal:

• New household member raises a background check concern. An adult child or partner moves in and has a disqualifying conviction. This can affect continued eligibility even though your own record is clean. Ask the agency about any review option before making housing decisions.

• Child leaves your home. If the child has moved back with a parent or is no longer physically living with you, payments may be affected. If the child is temporarily away, ask the agency how the absence affects eligibility.

• Missed paperwork. If you don't return Form DCF-F-5369-E or respond to the agency's requests for information, the agency may be unable to confirm continued eligibility. Contact it promptly if you need help completing the review. Set a calendar reminder for your renewal date.

• Child begins receiving SSI. If the child is approved for Supplemental Security Income, they become ineligible for Kinship Care payments. You cannot receive both.

If Your Renewal Is Denied

You have the same appeal rights as with an initial denial. File a written hearing request with the Division of Hearings and Appeals (P.O. Box 7875, Madison, WI 53707-7875, Fax: 608-264-9885) within 45 calendar days of the written notice. If your request arrives before the effective date of the termination, your payments may continue at the prior level while the appeal is pending.

Keeping Your Records Organized

The annual review goes more smoothly when you have your documentation ready throughout the year — not just at renewal time. Keep copies of your original approval letter, background check clearances, the child's school enrollment records, and any correspondence with your caseworker. If anything changes mid-year (a new household member, a change in the child's income, or a change in your legal arrangement), report it to your agency rather than waiting for the annual review.

The Wisconsin Kinship Financial Help Guide includes a tracking system for deadlines, caseworker contacts, and renewal dates alongside the full walkthrough of every financial program.

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