Financial Aid For Kinship Care

Summary

You may be eligible for financial aid through Pennsylvanias Department of Human Services for kinship care. Consider seeking child support from the biological parents and updating your local Assistance Office about the custody situation. Consult a local attorney for specific advice. Additionally, report the situation to the Department of Human Services and reach out to local community organizations for immediate help.

Full Conversation

Child support / foster care
Hello Stephanie, can you please specify the exact issue you're having with child support/foster care? Also, kindly provide your location as laws can differ by area.
Pennsylvania
Hello Stephanie, it seems like you're dealing with child support in relation to foster care in Pennsylvania. Could you please clarify if you're seeking child support for a foster child or if this is related to your own child placed in foster care?
Hello. We got temporary legal custody of my husband’s * nieces. We got forms filled out and notarized.They were from Delaware county. We live in bucks county. The children are * girls, The oldest is Miranda who is *, next is Kylie who is * and last is journey who is *. They have been with us since mid August. We also have two children of our own, A 20 year old son and a 15 year old daughter. We did have  to sign them all up to schools around here. The youngest journey * was never registered in school before. I have also had to take them to doctors, dentist and also the eye doctor’s appointments because they haven’t seen the doctors or dentist since before Covid. And have never been to an eye doctors. The older one needed glasses as she has been having a hard time seeing. We tried to get them on food stamps just for the girls. We were denied because their mother claims them on her food stamps. We were told she had to drop them off before we could claim them. The problem is the mother is on drugs and won’t give up free money to help her addiction. There father is also not in the children life at this point. There mom does not work. She only has her food stamp and cash assistance money. I’m not sure if there father is on disability or back to work yet. The mother says she will just let us use some of her food stamps money for the kids but she hasn’t done that since September. So she gave us about $*-$* total so far in food stamps to help us out with her children. I should also add we did have to buy them all school clothes , new shoes and all school supplies beside a few folders and crayons for the little one. My question is can we do anything as there foster parents in order to get some financial help. Either from the state as food stamps or some kind of child support from either one of there parents? 

Hello Stephanie. Based on your location and situation, you may have a few options:
- Apply for Kinship Care through Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services.
- Seek child support from the biological parents.
- Contact your local Assistance Office to update them about the custody and food stamps issue.
Please consult with a local attorney for specific advice.
The local offices for snap benefits won’t help us . Because there mother currently claims them on her food stamps
Hello Stephanie, in your situation, consider these steps:
- Report the situation to Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services.
- Consult with a lawyer to file for child support.
- Contact the school district. They may have resources available.
- Reach out to local community organizations for immediate help.
Please consult a local attorney for specific advice.