PolkMoms.com

Financial support is essential for kinship caregivers because they tend to take in children at a time when they may be retiring or past the child-rearing stage. Caregivers often spend their retirement savings or postpone retirement to provide for the children in their care. Having unexpected children to care for on limited income has great impact in providing adequate housing, food and finding day care. The needs of these children differ depending on their specific circum-stances before placement and support within the home. While not all children will need mental health counseling, many may be at risk for physical and emotional problems. For those who do receive financial support, the support provides mini-mal services and less money than foster care, even though the circum-stances may be similar. If the base rate for foster-care payments per month for one child without special needs aged 6-12 years averages $339 per month, the support to a kinship caregiver for one child would be about 70 percent less - $102 per month. Support payments for kinship-care children decrease for additional children while foster-care payments are the same for additional children. Foster parents are eligible to receive quarterly clothing allowances for foster-care chil-dren while no clothing allowance is available for the children of rela-tive caregivers.

And thus, dealing with the "system" is laughable. Most, just don't get it. Above all, there needs to be a master list given to the "grands" as they leave the court room the very first time. Sometimes, we just need someone to talk with, a shoulder to cry upon.
Judy

I am sure this is very eye opening to us all; it was for me! Thank you for sharing this.

I believe this is what Judy has shared with us -

click here for USF's Florida Kinship Center Celebrates 10th Anniversary

I had custody of my nephew for 7 months and never received a dime for assistance. They promise you the world and deliver nothing. My nephew's mother was receiving food stamps, wic, and child support while I had custody of her child. When she lost custody she wouldn't give us anything for him, we had to buy him a whole new wardrobe, I had to jump through hoops to just get medicaid on him. My husband and I were supporting her son 100% and she still had final say on everything, we couldn't even cut his hair without her permission. What a wonderful system we have!

Mamaboo that is wonderful that you did all that you did for your nephew. What a sad situation in so many ways!

I am so glad there are family members like you that take in family children when needed.

Thank you for your experience and post.

You ladies sure have opened my eyes to a lot of the "system".