Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Idaho

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Voice: Plain, honest, practical. No false comfort. No condescension. She made a choice. Honor it and give her what she needs.

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Idaho | InmateAid

Idaho calls it the Relative Caretaker Grant. Some call it the Grandparent Grant. Either way: it is up to $309 per month for eligible relative caregivers raising a child, and the income calculation is based on the child's income -- not yours. This is Idaho's TANF-connected supplement specifically for grandparents and relatives in this situation.

Idaho also has a Parenting Power of Attorney that lasts up to three years. This is longer than the POA available in most other states in this series. For a grandparent who needs immediate legal authority to enroll a grandchild in school or authorize medical care -- but whose incarcerated child is difficult to reach for an ongoing legal process -- a three-year Parenting POA buys real time.

Idaho is a rural state. For every one child raised by kin in the foster care system in Idaho, nineteen are raised by kin outside the foster care system. That 19-to-1 ratio means most grandparents in Idaho are navigating this without IDHW (Department of Health and Welfare) involvement, without a caseworker, and without automatic connection to the programs that exist for them.

You did not plan for this. You raised your children. You got to the other side of it. And then your child was incarcerated and the grandchildren needed somewhere to go. You said yes.

This article covers what Idaho offers you, what the programs are called, and what to do first.

The Decision You Already Made

You already made the hardest decision. The grandchildren are with you. Everything else in this article is about making that workable.

A few things to understand about your position in Idaho right now:

If you are caring for grandchildren without IDHW involvement, you are among the nineteen. You are doing this outside the formal foster care system, without a caseworker to connect you to resources. The programs exist. You have to find them yourself -- or find someone to help you find them.

If IDHW placed the grandchildren with you, you have a caseworker. Ask them specifically about the Relative Caretaker Grant and the Title IV-E Guardian Assistance Program.

Idaho's programs are administered statewide by IDHW through regional offices. Apply for TAFI, the Relative Caretaker Grant, and Medicaid at your regional IDHW office or through idalink.idaho.gov.

Dial 2-1-1 in Idaho for the statewide information and referral database for caregiving resources.

Legal Authority: What It Is and How to Get It in Idaho

**Parenting Power of Attorney (Up to 3 Years)**

Idaho's Parenting Power of Attorney is the most accessible and longest-duration POA for grandparents in this series. It lasts up to three years (or until a date specified in the document), unless revoked in writing by the parent.

With a Parenting POA, you can enroll children in school, authorize medical care, and make many day-to-day decisions for the grandchildren. It does not give you the full authority of guardianship -- the parent can revoke it in writing -- but for families where the incarcerated parent is cooperative and the sentence is time-limited, a three-year POA is substantial.

An incarcerated parent at an IDOC (Idaho Department of Correction) facility can sign a notarized Parenting POA. IDOC facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager to arrange.

**Guardianship**

Guardianship in Idaho is established through the Magistrate Court under Idaho Code §§ 15-5-207 and 15-5-213. It is more comprehensive than a POA and is **not revocable** -- once a court grants guardianship, only a court can change or end it. This is an important legal distinction from a POA.

Guardianship gives you full legal authority: school enrollment, medical care, benefits applications, and day-to-day decisions.

Idaho Legal Aid Services provides free legal assistance to income-eligible Idahoans. Contact: 1-800-221-3295 or idaholegalaid.org.

**Legal Custody (Custody Order Under Idaho Code § 32-717)**

Idaho courts can also grant custody through a custody order. Legal custody and guardianship are similar in practice but granted by different courts with different standards. Ask Idaho Legal Aid Services or a family law attorney which is most appropriate for your situation.

**Title IV-E Guardian Assistance Program**

Idaho has an approved Title IV-E Guardian Assistance Program -- a subsidized guardianship for children who have been in IDHW foster care. If the children came through IDHW and guardianship is the permanent plan, ask your IDHW caseworker about the guardianship assistance payment.

**Adoption**

Adoption permanently terminates the biological parent's parental rights under Idaho Code §§ 16-1501 through 16-1515. It is not reversible. Consider carefully when the incarcerated parent has a realistic path to release and reunification.

Money: What Idaho Offers Kinship Caregivers

**Relative Caretaker Grant / Grandparent Grant -- Up to $309 per Month**

This is Idaho's most significant named financial support for grandparent caregivers not in the IDHW foster care system. Also called the Relative Caretaker Grant or Grandparent Grant.

- **Amount**: up to $309 per month per household to offset the cost of caring for a child

- **Who qualifies**: caretakers who are related to the child; income criteria based on the child's income, not the grandparent's

- **No IDHW involvement required**

This is the program to ask about first at your regional IDHW office. The income test is on the child -- even if you have a pension, Social Security income, or other resources, the child may still qualify based on the child's own income.

Apply at your regional IDHW office or through idalink.idaho.gov.

**TAFI (Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho)**

TAFI is Idaho's name for the federal TANF program. TAFI provides monthly cash assistance on an ongoing basis to eligible households. Idaho uses "TAFI" not "TANF" at the regional office level.

Ask about the Relative Caretaker Grant AND TAFI when you go to IDHW. They may be part of the same application or connected processes, but they are distinct programs.

**Children's Medicaid**

Idaho's Children's Medicaid covers children under age 19 who meet eligibility criteria. Income criteria is based on the child's income. Children's Medicaid covers doctor visits, dental care, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision.

Apply through your regional IDHW office or at idalink.idaho.gov. Get the grandchildren enrolled in Medicaid as quickly as possible -- health coverage is one of the most urgent practical needs.

**SNAP (Food Assistance)**

Apply for SNAP through your regional IDHW office or at idalink.idaho.gov. The grandchildren's presence increases your household benefit level.

**Social Security**

If the incarcerated parent was working before arrest, the grandchildren may be eligible for Social Security dependent benefits. Call 1-800-772-1213. SSI may be available for grandchildren with disabilities.

The 19-to-1 Reality

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare estimates that for every one child raised by kin in foster care in Idaho, nineteen children are raised by kin outside of foster care.

That ratio is the context for everything in this article. The IDHW programs, the caseworker, the automatic connections to benefits -- those go to the one. The nineteen are doing this without that infrastructure.

If you are among the nineteen -- caring for grandchildren without IDHW involvement -- here is what to do:

Contact your regional IDHW office and ask specifically about the Relative Caretaker Grant. You do not need to be in the foster care system to access it.

Contact your Area Agency on Aging. Idaho has multiple AAAs across the state. The Southwest Idaho Agency on Aging runs the "Idaho Relatives as Parents" program with monthly support group meetings and Kinship Resource Coordinators who can help you navigate resources. Find your nearest AAA through the Idaho Commission on Aging at aging.idaho.gov or through 2-1-1.

Dial 2-1-1. Idaho's 2-1-1 system gives you access to the statewide database of caregiving resources in your specific area.

You are not invisible to the system. But the system does not always find you. You have to go to it.

Idaho Relatives as Parents

The Southwest Idaho Agency on Aging runs a specific program called "Idaho Relatives as Parents" under the AAA Kinship Program. It offers:

- Monthly support group meetings and family events for grandparents and relative caregivers

- Guest speakers and educational presentations from local community members

- Kinship Resource Coordinators who facilitate the groups and help navigate resources

This is the peer-support resource that matters most for the nineteen. A Kinship Resource Coordinator who knows your county and your IDHW regional office is more valuable than a list of phone numbers.

For the "Powerful Tools for Caregivers" program: a six-week workshop helping caregivers reduce stress, communicate more effectively, and navigate family dynamics. Available through some Idaho Area Agencies on Aging.

Find your nearest AAA at aging.idaho.gov or call the Idaho Commission on Aging.

The School Question

With a Parenting POA, guardianship, or custody order, school enrollment is straightforward.

Without legal authority, use the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Schools must immediately enroll children who lack stable housing documentation, including children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration. Ask the school district's McKinney-Vento liaison if enrollment is refused.

For children with IEPs or 504 plans, you will need legal authority or a signed parental authorization from the incarcerated parent. IDOC facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.

Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done

Without legal authority, routine medical care may be refused. Emergency care cannot be denied.

The fastest fix: the Idaho Parenting Power of Attorney, signed by the incarcerated parent through IDOC notary services. Three-year duration. Contact the facility case manager to arrange.

Enroll the grandchildren in Children's Medicaid at idalink.idaho.gov or your regional IDHW office. Medicaid enrollment does not require legal authority -- it requires proof of the child's identity and Idaho residency.

What She Is Carrying That He Cannot See

You did not plan for this stage of your life. The grandchildren arrived and with them came school lunches, doctor appointments, someone to be there after school, someone to sit with a child who is afraid at night.

You are also carrying your feelings about your child who is incarcerated. Those feelings do not have to resolve. You can love your child and be furious about what they did. You can hope they get out and be afraid of what comes next.

Idaho's communities are mostly small. In the small cities and rural communities -- Twin Falls, Pocatello, Coeur d'Alene, the smaller towns -- news travels. Some people disappear when it does. Some offer opinions you did not ask for.

The "Idaho Relatives as Parents" support groups through the Area Agencies on Aging are the most valuable social resource available to you in Idaho. Other grandparents who have navigated the IDHW office and the 2-1-1 system and the school enrollment question are the people who can actually help you.

Find them.

Talking to the Grandchildren About Where Their Parent Is

The children know something is wrong. Silence does not protect them.

Use honest, age-appropriate language. For a young child: "Your dad made a mistake and he has to stay somewhere else while he learns from it. You are safe and I am here." For an older child: "Your mom is in prison. She did something against the law and a judge decided she needs to be there for a while. She loves you. She is not in danger."

Do not make promises about when the parent will be home that you cannot keep. Let the children have their feelings. Keep the parent present in appropriate ways: photos, letters, phone calls.

IDOC phone calls go through ICS Corrections. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs -- not yours to manage based on your feelings about what your child did.

Children's Medicaid covers mental health services. If the grandchildren are struggling, ask the school counselor for a referral or the child's Medicaid primary care provider.

Your Relationship With Your Incarcerated Child

Your feelings about your child are complicated. You are raising their children because they cannot. Both things are true.

What the grandchildren need: to see that you are not punishing their parent through them.

What you need: a place to hold the complicated feelings that is not in front of the grandchildren. "Idaho Relatives as Parents" support groups through the AAA, a therapist, a trusted person -- any of these is better than carrying it alone through an Idaho winter.

What to Do First: A Practical Checklist

Dial 2-1-1. The statewide information and referral database. Let it connect you to what is available in your specific county.

Get a Parenting Power of Attorney signed. Contact the IDOC facility case manager to arrange notarization. The POA lasts up to three years. This solves the immediate school and medical authorization problem.

Contact your regional IDHW office. Ask specifically about the Relative Caretaker Grant (up to $309/month; child's income not yours). Apply for TAFI, Children's Medicaid, and SNAP at the same time. Online at idalink.idaho.gov.

Start the guardianship process if the situation is long-term. Contact Idaho Legal Aid Services at 1-800-221-3295 or idaholegalaid.org. Remember: guardianship in Idaho is not revocable without a court order.

Find your Area Agency on Aging. aging.idaho.gov. Ask about the "Idaho Relatives as Parents" program and whether a Kinship Resource Coordinator serves your area.

Enroll the grandchildren in school. Use McKinney-Vento if needed.

Get the grandchildren into Children's Medicaid as quickly as possible.

Take care of yourself. Find "Idaho Relatives as Parents." The other grandparents who have already done this are the most useful people you can meet right now.

FAQ

**What is the Relative Caretaker Grant / Grandparent Grant?** Also called the Relative Caretaker or Grandparent Grant, this is Idaho's TANF-connected financial support of up to $309 per month for eligible relative caregivers. You must be related to the child. The income test is based on the child's income, not the grandparent's. You do not need to be in the IDHW foster care system. Apply at your regional IDHW office or at idalink.idaho.gov.

**What is TAFI?** TAFI stands for Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho -- Idaho's name for the federal TANF program. It provides monthly cash assistance for eligible households. Ask about TAFI and the Relative Caretaker Grant together at your regional IDHW office.

**What is the Idaho Parenting Power of Attorney and how long does it last?** Idaho's Parenting Power of Attorney lasts up to three years (or until a specified date), unless revoked in writing by the parent. It gives you authority to enroll children in school and authorize medical care. An incarcerated parent can sign it through IDOC notary services. Contact the facility case manager. Note: a POA can be revoked by the parent; guardianship cannot.

**What is the difference between a POA and guardianship in Idaho?** A Parenting POA can be revoked by the parent in writing. Guardianship in Idaho is established by the Magistrate Court and is NOT revocable -- only a court can change or end it. Guardianship provides more comprehensive and permanent legal authority. Idaho Legal Aid Services (1-800-221-3295; idaholegalaid.org) can help you determine which is appropriate.

**Can I enroll my grandchildren in school without legal authority?** Yes. Under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, schools must immediately enroll children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration, even without typical documentation. Ask the school district for its McKinney-Vento liaison.

**What is "Idaho Relatives as Parents"?** A support program run by the Southwest Idaho Agency on Aging's Kinship Program. Monthly support group meetings, family events, and Kinship Resource Coordinators who help navigate resources. One of the most practical resources for grandparents in Idaho. Find your nearest Area Agency on Aging at aging.idaho.gov or by dialing 2-1-1.

**How do I talk to the grandchildren about their parent being in prison?** Use honest, age-appropriate language without promises about when the parent will be home. Let the children have their feelings. Keep the parent present appropriately -- photos, letters, IDOC phone calls through ICS Corrections. Children's Medicaid covers mental health services; ask the school counselor for a referral if needed.

[SPEC NOTE: Folder 1mWUamVufeanK-LZbmcw4rbPb7yRIWRSP. Internal CTAs: Idaho inmate search, send money, Idaho reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub. SOURCING: healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/children-families-older-adults/child-and-family-services-and-foster-care/about (Relative Caretaker or Grandparent Grant up to $309 per month caretakers must be related income criteria child's income; TAFI cash assistance monthly; Children's Medicaid under 19 income criteria child's income; grandparents in Idaho responsible for children under 18); healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/services-programs/kinship-and-caregiving (one in four Idahoans family caregiver; for every 1 child kin in foster care 19 raised by kin outside foster care in Idaho; resource and service navigation; 211 online database caregiving resources; kinship national resources Generations United Children's Bureau); aging.idaho.gov GrandFacts 2025 (Southwest Idaho Agency on Aging Kinship Program Idaho Relatives as Parents monthly support group meetings family events Kinship Resource Coordinators educational presentations; Idaho Commission on Aging; Powerful Tools for Caregivers six-week workshop reduce stress communicate navigate; in-home respite services support groups grandparents raising grandchildren group; AAA contacts; CHIP SCHIP TANF Child Only Grant SSI for Children links; TANF child-only grant income criteria based on child); grandfamilies.org Idaho (Idaho Title IV-E Guardian Assistance Program subsidized guardianship approved; legal custody similar to guardianship different court different standards); poaform.org Idaho guardianship guide (Idaho Code §32-717 custody; Idaho Code §§15-5-207 15-5-213 guardianship; Idaho Code §§16-1501 through 16-1515 adoption; Parenting Power of Attorney up to 3 years or until date specified unless revoked in writing; guardianship not revocable only court can change; Idaho Department of Health and Welfare; Idaho Legal Aid); Idaho Legal Aid Services 1-800-221-3295 idaholegalaid.org; idalink.idaho.gov IDHW online portal; IDOC ICS Corrections phone; IDOC notary services facility case manager; McKinney-Vento school enrollment; Children's Medicaid under 19; Social Security 1-800-772-1213; 211 Idaho statewide database. NOTE for Poorwa: verify Relative Caretaker Grant $309/month still current at healthandwelfare.idaho.gov; verify TAFI still Idaho TANF name; verify Children's Medicaid under 19 still current; verify idalink.idaho.gov still IDHW portal; verify Idaho Legal Aid Services 1-800-221-3295 idaholegalaid.org current; verify aging.idaho.gov Idaho Commission on Aging current; verify Idaho Relatives as Parents still operating Southwest Idaho AAA Kinship Program; verify Parenting POA up to 3 years still Idaho law; verify Idaho guardianship not revocable without court still current; verify IDOC ICS Corrections phone provider; verify Title IV-E Guardian Assistance Program Idaho still current; verify 2-1-1 Idaho statewide database current; verify McKinney-Vento still applicable; len/character check before publish.]