Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Illinois

Schema: Article + FAQPage

Internal links (5): Illinois inmate search, send money, Illinois reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub

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

META BLOCK:

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Illinois | InmateAid

Illinois has over 100,000 grandparents raising grandchildren on a long-term basis. The state's DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) website says so directly: "The State of Illinois honors caregivers who are caring for a relative's children, including over 100,000 grandparents caring for their grandchildren on a long-term basis."

In February 2025, Governor Pritzker signed the KIND Act -- Kinship in Demand -- into law. It took effect July 1, 2025. The law allows DCFS to create separate, more flexible certification standards for grandparents and relatives who care for children in the DCFS system, while maintaining safety requirements. It also ensures that relative caregivers receive the same financial benefits as licensed foster parents. Before this law, about 9,300 children in DCFS care were living with relatives, and many were not getting the same financial support as licensed non-relative foster parents because of outdated certification rules. The KIND Act changes that.

If the grandchildren are NOT in the DCFS system, Illinois has a different entry point: the Extended Family Support Program (EFSP). EFSP is specifically designed for relative caregivers who are caring for children outside the formal child welfare system. It does not require DCFS involvement. It does not require legal guardianship to access (though it helps you get there). And there is a specific way to access it through the DCFS Hotline.

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 tells you what Illinois offers and how to reach it.

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 Illinois right now:

**If DCFS placed the children with you**, you are in the formal child welfare system. The KIND Act (effective July 1, 2025) now means you should be entitled to the same financial benefits as a licensed foster parent. Ask your DCFS caseworker about the KIND Act and your certification status under the new Rules 415.

**If the children came to you without DCFS involvement** and you have been caring for them for more than 14 days, the Extended Family Support Program is your entry point. You do not need DCFS involvement. You call the DCFS Hotline and say the right words.

**If you are not yet sure** which category you are in: call the DCFS Hotline at **1-800-252-2873** (24/7) and describe your situation.

The EFSP Script: What to Say When You Call

This matters. To access the Extended Family Support Program through the DCFS Hotline, the Illinois resources are explicit about what to say:

"I am caring for my relative's child. I have been caring for them for more than 14 days. The child is not being abused or neglected but I need help. I would like to be referred to the Extended Family Support Program."

That phrase -- "Extended Family Support Program" -- is the key. Without it, you may be routed to a different part of DCFS.

**DCFS Hotline: 1-800-252-2873 (available 24/7)**

EFSP is for relative caregivers and fictive kin (close family contacts) who are NOT involved in the formal child welfare system, have been caring for the child for more than 14 days, and where the child is not being abused or neglected.

What EFSP provides:

- Help obtaining private guardianship through probate court

- Help obtaining the TANF child-only grant and other entitlements

- Subsidized daycare assistance

- Help enrolling children in the school district where you live

- Cash assistance for basic goods and services to stabilize the household

- Referrals to community resources

What EFSP does NOT provide: a monthly ongoing stipend. EFSP is stabilization and navigation assistance. The ongoing monthly income comes from the TANF child-only grant and other programs it helps you access.

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

**Guardianship (Through Probate Court)**

EFSP specifically helps relative caregivers obtain private guardianship through the probate court. This is the most common legal pathway for non-DCFS families in Illinois.

With guardianship, you have legal authority to enroll children in school, authorize medical care, apply for benefits, and make day-to-day decisions.

Greenlight Family Services in the Chicago area provides low-cost legal and social services for kinship families including guardianship assistance. For families outside the Chicago area, contact local legal aid organizations. The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation maintains a directory at illinoislegalaid.org.

**Short-Term Guardianship for School Enrollment**

Illinois law allows enrollment in school under a "statutory short-term guardianship" -- provided that within 60 days of enrollment, a court order is entered establishing a permanent guardianship. This means you can enroll the grandchildren in school first, then get the permanent guardianship within 60 days. EFSP can help you navigate this.

Also: if you are receiving the TANF child-only grant, you can enroll grandchildren in school based on receipt of that grant -- without any court order at all.

**KIND Act and DCFS Certification (July 2025)**

If DCFS is involved and you are a relative caregiver, the KIND Act (effective July 1, 2025) created a new certification track with separate, more flexible standards for relatives. Under Rules 415, certified relative caregivers should receive the same financial benefits as licensed foster parents. If your certification is pending or DCFS has not told you about the KIND Act, ask specifically.

**KinGAP (Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program)**

Illinois's approved Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program. For children who came through DCFS foster care and guardianship is the permanent plan. Provides a monthly payment and Medicaid for eligible children who transition from DCFS foster care to guardianship. Ask your DCFS caseworker about KinGAP eligibility.

**Adoption**

Adoption permanently terminates the biological parent's parental rights. It is not reversible. Consider carefully when the incarcerated parent has a realistic path to release and reunification.

Money: What Illinois Offers Kinship Caregivers

**TANF Child-Only Grant -- Approximately $100 per Month**

The TANF child-only grant in Illinois provides approximately $100 per month per child (amounts may vary by county). Key features:

- You do NOT need guardianship or a court order

- The grandparent's income and assets are NOT counted

- Children who receive the TANF child-only grant automatically qualify for Medicaid

- EFSP can help you apply for this

Apply at your local IDHS (Illinois Department of Human Services) Family Community Resource Center or through EFSP. IDHS general information: 1-800-843-6154.

**Illinois AllKids (Medicaid for Children)**

Illinois AllKids provides health coverage for children whose families are low-income. Children who receive the TANF child-only grant automatically qualify for Medicaid regardless of income. Children in families that do not qualify for TANF may qualify for AllKids based on household income.

AllKids covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision. Apply through IDHS at idhs.illinois.gov or through EFSP.

**SNAP (Food Assistance)**

Apply for SNAP through your local IDHS office or at idhs.illinois.gov. The grandchildren's presence increases your household benefit level.

**WIC**

WIC provides special checks for healthy foods -- milk, juice, eggs, cheese, cereal, dry beans, peanut butter -- for women and children who qualify. Available through your local health department.

**KIND Act Benefits for DCFS-Involved Families**

Under the KIND Act (effective July 1, 2025), relative caregivers in DCFS cases are entitled to the same financial benefits as licensed foster parents. If you are in a DCFS case and not receiving the same payments as a licensed foster parent, ask your caseworker about the KIND Act and Rules 415.

**AAA Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Program**

Illinois Area Agencies on Aging fund a Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program that provides "gap-filling" financial assistance for emergency needs like clothing and school supplies. Contact your local AAA for details. Find your AAA at aging.illinois.gov.

**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. A grandchild may also be eligible based on the grandparent's own Social Security record if the grandparent is receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

**Subsidized Daycare**

EFSP can help with subsidized daycare through the child care subsidy program. Subsidized daycare enables grandparents who are working or in training to maintain employment while the grandchildren have supervised care.

Key Illinois Resources

**DCFS Hotline: 1-800-252-2873 (24/7)**

The entry point for EFSP and DCFS services. Use the specific EFSP script above.

**EFSP Brochure**

Available in English, Spanish, and Polish through dcfs.illinois.gov or by asking at the DCFS Hotline.

**Illinois Family Resources**

illinoisfamilyresources.org

Comprehensive online directory of kinship care resources in Illinois.

**Greenlight Family Services (Chicago)**

greenlightfamilyservices.org

Low-cost legal and social services for kinship families: guardianship, EFSP navigation, TANF, school enrollment, community resources. Chicago area.

**Illinois Equal Justice Foundation / Illinois Legal Aid Online**

illinoislegalaid.org

Statewide directory of free and low-cost legal aid. Find help for guardianship in your county.

**Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)**

idhs.illinois.gov | 1-800-843-6154

Apply for TANF child-only grant, SNAP, AllKids/Medicaid, WIC, and subsidized childcare.

**DCFS Relatives Raising Children**

dcfs.illinois.gov/loving-homes/grandparents-and-older-caregivers-raising-children.html

DCFS's own resource page for grandparents and relative caregivers.

The School Question

With guardianship, a short-term guardianship, or receipt of the TANF child-only grant, school enrollment is available in Illinois without the school-of-residence barrier.

Without legal authority or TANF, 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.

EFSP can help you both get the TANF child-only grant (which enables school enrollment) and navigate the short-term guardianship process if a more permanent legal arrangement is needed.

Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done

Without legal authority or TANF, routine medical care may be refused in non-emergency situations. Emergency care cannot be denied.

If you are receiving the TANF child-only grant, the children automatically qualify for Medicaid -- and with a Medicaid card, most medical care is accessible.

If you are not yet receiving TANF, get a notarized parental authorization from the incarcerated parent through Illinois DOC notary services. IDOC facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager to arrange.

Enroll the grandchildren in AllKids/Medicaid at idhs.illinois.gov regardless of legal authority status.

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 lunches, school pickups, doctor appointments, someone to be home in the evening, someone to sit with a child who wakes up afraid.

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. You can hope and fear the same outcome.

Illinois is a large and varied state. In Chicago's dense neighborhoods and suburban communities, there can be more anonymity and more formal support resources. In downstate Illinois -- Peoria, Springfield, East St. Louis, Cairo -- the communities are smaller, the news travels faster, and the distance to a Chicago-area resource like Greenlight can be real.

Illinois AAAs and the EFSP network have regional presence. Contact your local AAA through aging.illinois.gov to find what is available in your area.

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 Telmate / GTL. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs.

AllKids/Medicaid covers mental health services for children. 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. Illinois AAA GRG programs, EFSP referrals to community resources, a therapist, a trusted person -- any of these is better than carrying it alone.

What to Do First: A Practical Checklist

If caring for children for more than 14 days without DCFS involvement: call the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-252-2873 (24/7) and say the EFSP script exactly: "I am caring for my relative's child. I have been caring for them for more than 14 days. The child is not being abused or neglected but I need help. I would like to be referred to the Extended Family Support Program."

If DCFS placed the children: ask your caseworker specifically about the KIND Act (effective July 1, 2025) and whether you are receiving the same financial benefits as a licensed foster parent. Ask about KinGAP if guardianship is the permanency plan.

Apply for TANF child-only grant through your local IDHS office or EFSP. Approximately $100/month per child; grandparent's income not counted; no guardianship required. This also triggers Medicaid for the children.

Apply for AllKids/Medicaid and SNAP at idhs.illinois.gov or 1-800-843-6154.

Get a notarized parental authorization from the incarcerated parent through IDOC notary services for immediate medical authorization.

Start the guardianship process through probate court. EFSP can help. Greenlight Family Services (Chicago) or your county legal aid organization can help with the legal process.

Enroll the grandchildren in school. EFSP can help. Use the TANF grant, short-term guardianship, or McKinney-Vento as the enrollment basis.

Contact your Area Agency on Aging. aging.illinois.gov. Ask about GRG gap-filling emergency funds and support groups.

Take care of yourself. Illinois has resources. Finding them is the work -- but EFSP is specifically designed to help you do that work.

FAQ

**What is the Extended Family Support Program (EFSP)?** EFSP is an Illinois DCFS program for relative caregivers who are NOT involved in the formal child welfare system and have been caring for a child for more than 14 days. It helps you get guardianship, apply for TANF child-only, access subsidized daycare, enroll children in school, and stabilize the household. EFSP does NOT provide a monthly stipend. Access through the DCFS Hotline at 1-800-252-2873 (24/7): "I am caring for my relative's child. I have been caring for them for more than 14 days. The child is not being abused or neglected but I need help. I would like to be referred to the Extended Family Support Program."

**What is the KIND Act?** The Kinship in Demand Act, signed February 5, 2025, effective July 1, 2025. It allows DCFS to create separate, more flexible certification standards for relatives caring for children in DCFS care, and ensures certified relative caregivers receive the same financial benefits as licensed foster parents. If you are in a DCFS case, ask your caseworker about KIND Act certification under Rules 415.

**What is the TANF child-only grant and how much is it?** Approximately $100 per month per child in Illinois (may vary by county). No guardianship required. The grandparent's income and assets are not counted. Children who receive the child-only grant automatically qualify for Medicaid. Apply through your IDHS Family Community Resource Center or through EFSP. Contact IDHS at 1-800-843-6154 or idhs.illinois.gov.

**Can I enroll my grandchildren in school without legal authority?** Yes, in multiple ways. If you receive the TANF child-only grant, Illinois law allows school enrollment based on that grant without a court order. A short-term guardianship also enables enrollment (followed by permanent guardianship within 60 days). Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, schools must enroll children living with relatives due to a parent's incarceration regardless of documentation. EFSP can help navigate all of these paths.

**What is KinGAP?** Illinois's Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program -- the Title IV-E subsidized guardianship for children who came through DCFS foster care. Provides a monthly payment and Medicaid when children transition from DCFS foster care to guardianship. Ask your DCFS caseworker.

**Is there housing support for grandparent caregivers in Illinois?** Sankofa House, referenced in Illinois kinship resources, operates a 58-unit supportive housing facility for grandparents/kinship caregivers. This is a unique resource. Contact Illinois family resource organizations for current availability.

**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 feelings. Keep the parent present appropriately -- photos, letters, IDOC phone calls through Telmate/GTL. AllKids/Medicaid covers mental health services for children; ask the school counselor or primary care provider for a referral if the grandchildren are struggling.

[SPEC NOTE: Folder 1mWUamVufeanK-LZbmcw4rbPb7yRIWRSP. Internal CTAs: Illinois inmate search, send money, Illinois reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub. SOURCING: dcfs.illinois.gov/loving-homes/grandparents-and-older-caregivers-raising-children.html (over 100,000 grandparents long-term Illinois; EFSP relative caregivers not child welfare system services help guardianship child only grant entitlements benefits school enrollment referrals cash assistance basic needs; "I am caring for my relative's child been caring more than 14 days not abused neglected need help Extended Family Support Program" exact script; EFSP does not provide monthly stipend; DCFS Hotline 1-800-252-2873 24/7; AllKids program low-income health coverage; TANF child only grant grandparent income not counted Medicaid auto; WIC; child support requires custody order county enforcement agency; Custodial Back-up Plan Standby Adoption Guardianship Short-term Guardianship; KIND Act effective July 1 2025); dcfs.illinois.gov/for-families/relative-caregiver-certification-kind-act.html (Governor Pritzker signed February 5 2025; KIND Act developed DCFS ACLU Illinois; effective July 1 2025; DCFS Rules 415; separate standards certify relative caregivers; voice in permanency decisions; identify relatives as placement visitation options; path to guardianship permanency); gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com/gov-pritzker-signs-kind-act (KIND Act House Bill 4781; separate more flexible standards grandparents relatives; same financial benefits as licensed foster parents; 9,300 kids in DCFS care with relatives many not getting same benefits; youth do better with relatives stable familiar homes; reunification guardianship adoption equally viable); fox32chicago.com (KIND Act ensures relative caregivers same financial benefits licensed foster parents; about 9,300 kids DCFS care living relatives; older outdated rules; legislation helps kids stay with extended family); dcfs.illinois.gov/loving-homes/families/family-preservation-services.html (EFSP short-term services relative caregiver close family contact fictive kin not formal child welfare system; caring more than 14 days; services avoid child welfare system involvement; help guardianship probate court; help child only grant subsidized day care entitlements; help school enrollment; cash assistance stabilize household; brochure English Spanish Polish); wcya.org EFSP (EFSP not involved formal child welfare system; assist obtain private guardianship; obtain child only grant other services; enroll school relative caregiver's district; obtain basic goods services stable home; link community resources; does not provide a monthly stipend; helps caregiver negotiate probate court system); greenlightfamilyservices.org kinship care (EFSP subsidized daycare school enrollment funds furniture clothing essential items; SNAP WIC TANF monthly grant child only grant; Social Security; Medical Employer Medicaid AllKids; legal custody empowers caregivers school medical benefits decisions; low cost legal social services Chicago area); illinoisfamilyresources.org (kinship caregiver not child welfare system EFSP; over 14 days not abused neglected; services help guardianship child only grant entitlements school referrals cash assistance basic needs; EFSP does not provide monthly stipend); isba.org (TANF child only approximately $100/month may vary by county; grandparent income assets not counted; TANF child only Medicaid auto; AllKids/KidCare low-income; statutory short-term guardianship school enrollment within 60 days permanent guardianship; subsection iv TANF child only as basis for school enrollment without court order; Private Subsidized Guardianship); grandfamilies.org Illinois (KinGAP Title IV-E Guardianship Assistance Program; Sankofa House 58-unit supportive housing grandparents kinship caregivers; AAA GRG gap-filling emergency financial assistance clothing school supplies); IDOC Telmate GTL phone; IDOC notary services; idhs.illinois.gov 1-800-843-6154 TANF SNAP AllKids Medicaid WIC childcare; McKinney-Vento school enrollment; aging.illinois.gov AAA GRG program; Illinois Legal Aid Online illinoislegalaid.org; Social Security 1-800-772-1213. NOTE for Poorwa: verify KIND Act effective July 1 2025 now operational Rules 415 dcfs.illinois.gov/for-families/relative-caregiver-certification-kind-act.html; verify EFSP still DCFS program for non-DCFS relative caregivers 14+ days; verify DCFS Hotline 1-800-252-2873 current 24/7; verify TANF child-only approximately $100/month current; verify allkids still Illinois children's health program name; verify EFSP does not provide monthly stipend still current; verify KinGAP still Illinois IV-E GAP; verify idhs.illinois.gov 1-800-843-6154 current; verify illinoislegalaid.org current; verify aging.illinois.gov AAA GRG current; verify IDOC Telmate GTL phone provider; verify McKinney-Vento still applicable; verify short-term guardianship 60-day school enrollment rule still current Illinois law; len/character check before publish.]