WV WORKS Child-Only Grant for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

What the Child-Only Grant Actually Means

Most grandparents raising grandchildren in West Virginia assume their Social Security check or pension disqualifies the child from state cash help. That assumption costs families hundreds of dollars a month.

The WV WORKS child-only grant is a separate category within West Virginia's TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) program. When a grandparent or other qualifying relative applies as a "non-needy caretaker relative," the state evaluates only the child's own income and assets. The caregiver's pension, wages, Social Security, SSDI, and spousal income are completely left out of the calculation.

This is not a loophole. It is written into the West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual and the FFY 2024 TANF State Plan. The Bureau for Family Assistance processes these applications at county Department of Human Services (DoHS) offices across the state.

Who Counts as a Non-Needy Caretaker Relative

Under BFA policy, a "specified relative" includes grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, and the spouses of any of those relatives. Adoptive and step-relatives also qualify.

You do not need legal custody or guardianship to apply. A grandparent with informal physical custody of the child can file for the child-only grant, as long as no parent is living in the same household and included in the assistance group.

One important detail: the caretaker chooses whether to be included in the assistance group. If you include yourself, your income and assets count. For the income disregard to apply, you must be excluded from the group — which is the standard approach for non-needy caretaker relatives.

How Much the Grant Pays

Monthly payment amounts are set by the Income Maintenance Manual:

• 1 child: $417/month
• 2 children: $480/month
• 3 children: $542/month
• 4 children: $612/month

These amounts are the maximum monthly cash benefit for the assistance group size. The assistance group's countable assets may not exceed $2,000, regardless of the number of people in the group. The manual excludes one vehicle per work-eligible individual regardless of value and specifies a one-vehicle exclusion for child-only cases with SSI adults. Initial payments are prorated from the date of application once all eligibility requirements are met.

The grant is loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card or deposited directly into the caregiver's bank account on the last state workday before the benefit month.

The Income Disregard in Practice

Here is what the income disregard actually looks like:

A grandmother living on $1,400/month in Social Security retirement applies for a child-only grant for her 8-year-old granddaughter. The child has no income and no assets beyond a savings account with $300. The grandmother's $1,400 is never entered into the eligibility calculation. The child qualifies for the full $417/month.

If that same grandmother were applying for regular WV WORKS as an included adult, her income would count and she would likely exceed the income limit. The child-only pathway exists specifically so that a caregiver's financial situation does not block a child from receiving help.

Child Support Cooperation

When you apply for the child-only grant, you are required to cooperate with the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement (BCSE) to establish paternity and pursue support from the child's noncustodial parent.

West Virginia passes through the first $100/month in collected child support for one child ($200/month for two or more children) directly to the family. That pass-through amount does not reduce the cash grant. An additional $25/month incentive payment is issued for each month support is collected.

If pursuing child support would put the child or caregiver at risk of abuse, you can request a Good Cause Exception. You will need supporting evidence such as a protective order, police report, or domestic violence counseling records.

How to Apply

Applications go through WV PATH at wvpath.wv.gov (the portal that replaced the former inROADS system) or at your local county DoHS office. The core documents you will need:

• Child's birth certificate
• Social Security cards for the child (and caregiver for identification)
• Proof of West Virginia residency (utility bill, lease, mortgage statement)
• Proof of relationship to the child
• Any documentation of the child's own income or assets

BFA must process standard applications within 30 calendar days.

What Else Opens Up

Receiving the child-only grant does not block other programs. The child can simultaneously receive Medicaid or WV CHIP, SNAP benefits, subsidized childcare, and school meal support. Many of these programs use separate eligibility rules — Medicaid, for example, also evaluates only the child's income when the child lives with a nonparent relative.

For a complete walkthrough of stacking these programs and preparing for each application, the West Virginia Kinship Financial Help Guide covers every program, the documents each agency requires, and what to do if a benefit is denied.

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