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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.
META BLOCK:
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in New Jersey | InmateAid
New Jersey has one of the strongest school enrollment protections for grandparent caregivers in the country.
New Jersey law allows grandparents to enroll grandchildren in local school districts as **"affidavit students"** -- without custody, without guardianship, without a court order. The law requires that the child live in the grandparent's home due to a family or economic hardship. A parent's incarceration is named as a qualifying hardship. School districts cannot require Social Security numbers, immigration documentation, income tax returns, or custody orders.
This means that on the day you show up to enroll the grandchildren in school -- without any paperwork from a court, without having navigated the benefits system yet, without legal authority -- New Jersey law says the school must enroll them.
New Jersey also has a specific named legal status for long-term kinship caregivers: **Kinship Legal Guardianship (KLG)**. KLG gives the caregiver the same rights and authority as a biological parent -- medical decisions, educational decisions, legal decisions. And KLG unlocks the **Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP)**, which pays up to $250 per month per child for caregivers who have KLG and whose income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Even without KLG, grandparents can receive a TANF child-only grant of **$162 per month** for one child (more for additional children), with no income limits on the caregiver.
The entry point for all of this is 2-1-1. Dial it. A 2-1-1 staff person will help with immediate needs and connect you to your county's kinship agency.
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.
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 New Jersey right now:
You can enroll the grandchildren in school immediately as affidavit students. Do not wait for paperwork. Go to the school.
TANF child-only grants ($162/month for one child) are available without guardianship or income limits on you. Apply.
KLG provides more legal authority and unlocks the higher KCSP subsidy (up to $250/month per child with income <=150% FPL). But you do not need KLG to start -- you can receive TANF and enroll children in school before you have it.
Dial 2-1-1 to be connected to your county's kinship agency for Kinship Navigator services.
Affidavit Students: School Enrollment Without Custody
This is worth reading twice.
New Jersey law allows grandparents to enroll grandchildren in their local school district as "affidavit students" without obtaining custody or guardianship. The requirements:
- The child must live in the grandparent's home
- Due to **family or economic hardship** -- which explicitly includes parental mental illness, substance abuse, **incarceration**, death, family violence, or inability to provide adequate care
The school district cannot require:
- Social Security numbers
- Immigration documentation
- Income tax returns
- Custody orders
You file an affidavit (a sworn statement) with the school district. The child is enrolled.
This is the fastest school enrollment pathway in the series. For grandparents who just received the grandchildren and need to get them in school now -- this is how.
For children with disabilities, you will eventually need legal authority or a signed parental authorization to participate in IEP planning meetings. Get a notarized POA from the incarcerated parent through NJDOC notary services. Contact the facility case manager.
Legal Authority: KLG and What It Does
**Kinship Legal Guardianship (KLG)**
KLG is New Jersey's specific named legal framework for long-term kinship caregivers. It is established by court order. Key features:
- Caregiver must have been providing care for at least **one year** before petitioning
- Court must find by clear and convincing evidence that each parent's incapacity is serious and unlikely to change, and that guardianship serves the child's best interests
- KLG gives the kinship legal guardian the **same rights and authority as a biological parent**: medical decisions, educational decisions, legal decisions
- Parents retain the right to visitation and the obligation to pay child support
- Children maintain inheritance rights and can receive government benefits through parental insurance or Social Security
KLG is distinct from regular guardianship in New Jersey -- it is a specific statute (P.L. 2001, c. 250) designed for kinship caregivers.
The Kinship Navigator Program agencies assist caregivers in applying for KLG. Start by calling 2-1-1.
**Power of Attorney**
Before you have KLG (and while you are caring for the child during the one-year waiting period), a notarized parental POA from the incarcerated parent covers medical care and educational participation. NJDOC facilities have notary services -- contact the facility case manager.
**Regular Guardianship**
Standard guardianship through NJ Probate Court is also available and does not require the one-year wait. However, it does not automatically unlock the KCSP subsidy the way KLG does.
**DCP&P-Involved Families**
If the Division of Child Protection and Permanency placed the grandchildren with you in a formal kinship foster placement, your DCP&P worker is your primary contact. The DCP&P KLG subsidy program phone: **1-800-847-5027**.
**Adoption**
Adoption permanently terminates the biological parent's parental rights. It is not reversible. KLG is specifically designed as an alternative to adoption for families where the biological parent relationship should be preserved.
Money: Two Pathways
**Pathway 1: TANF Child-Only Grant (Without KLG)**
No guardianship required. No income limits on the caregiver.
- **$162 per month for one child**
- Additional increments for more children ($322 for two, etc.)
- Children receiving TANF child-only also receive Medicaid
- Apply through the NJ Division of Family Development (DFD) or call 2-1-1
Note: Higher KCSP payments may reduce food stamp or housing assistance. This is worth knowing before switching from TANF to KCSP.
**Pathway 2: Kinship Care Subsidy Program (KCSP) (Requires KLG)**
- Up to **$250 per month per child**
- Requires court-awarded KLG
- Family income must be at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level
- Subject to fund availability; slots are allocated by county on a first-come, first-served basis
- If the child has income, it is subtracted from $250 and you receive the difference
- DCP&P KLG Subsidy Specialist: **1-866-233-5356** or 609-888-7457
The decision between TANF child-only and KCSP depends on your income and family situation. Getting KCSP requires more work (obtaining KLG, meeting income requirement). But the payment is higher per child and provides more legal authority.
**NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid)**
Children in kinship care are eligible for NJ FamilyCare (NJ Medicaid) based on income. Apply at njfamilycare.org or through DFD. NJ FamilyCare covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision.
**SNAP (Food Assistance)**
Apply through the Division of Family Development. Be aware that moving from TANF child-only to KCSP may affect your SNAP benefit amount.
**Kinship Navigator Small Subsidy**
The Kinship Navigator Program also provides a small subsidy for one-time expenses -- furniture, moving costs, clothing, extracurricular activities. Access through your local kinship agency via 2-1-1.
**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.
New Jersey's Kinship Navigator Program
Dial **2-1-1** (or 1-800-435-7555 or 1-877-652-1148). A 2-1-1 staff person will help with immediate needs and connect you to your local kinship agency.
The Kinship Navigator Program is operated by four regional agencies:
- **CarePlus, NJ**: (201) 398-9110 ext. 5645 -- Bergen, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren Counties
- **Children's Aid and Family Service**: 1-201-225-8844 or 211 -- (call 211 for county coverage)
- **CHSofNJ**: 1 (800) 396-4518 -- Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Hunterdon, Somerset, Ocean, Union Counties
What the Kinship Navigator provides:
- Wraparound case management
- Small subsidy for furniture, clothing, moving costs, extracurricular activities
- Assistance navigating TANF, Medicaid, and other benefits
- Technical support and assistance with KLG applications
- Referrals to grandparenting and family support groups
**KinKonnect**
The NJ Kinship Legal Guardianship Resource Center provides information, online resources, email and phone support, a lending library, and statewide referral service.
Phone: **1-877-KLG-Line (1-877-554-5463)**
Website: kinkonnect.org
KinKonnect is the dedicated information and navigation resource for anything related to KLG in New Jersey. If you have questions about the KLG process, the subsidy, or your rights as a kinship legal guardian, KinKonnect is the organization to call.
The School Question (and the Answer)
**Use the affidavit student provision. Go to the school today if needed.**
New Jersey law (the "affidavit student" statute) allows grandparents to enroll grandchildren in their local school district based on a sworn affidavit that the child lives in the home due to a family hardship. Parental incarceration is a named qualifying hardship. No custody, no guardianship, no court order required.
The school district cannot turn you away for lack of Social Security numbers, immigration documents, income tax records, or custody orders.
This is the fastest path to school enrollment available to any grandparent in any state in this series.
For children with IEPs, you will need legal authority or signed parental authorization to participate in IEP meetings. The POA from the incarcerated parent through NJDOC notary services handles this.
McKinney-Vento also applies as a backup -- schools must enroll children in unstable housing including kinship placements -- but in New Jersey, the affidavit student statute is stronger and more specific.
Medical Authorization Before Court Paperwork Is Done
Get a notarized parental POA from the incarcerated parent through NJDOC notary services. Contact the facility case manager. This handles routine medical authorization until you obtain KLG.
Apply for NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid) for the grandchildren at njfamilycare.org. Medicaid enrollment does not require legal authority.
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 forms, doctor appointments, someone to be home, someone to sit with a child who is 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 for the release and fear what comes after.
New Jersey is a dense, urban state with enormous geographic variation -- Newark, Camden, Trenton on one end of the scale; suburban Morris County and the Shore communities on another; the rural Pine Barrens in South Jersey. In all of these places, grandparents are doing this work. Grandma K.A.R.E.S. (kinship advocacy, resources, education, moral and spiritual support) operates in New Jersey specifically to name what grandparent caregivers carry and provide community around it.
The Kinship Navigator agencies -- reachable through 2-1-1 -- provide support groups for grandparents and, separately, for children raised in kinship families. Both matter.
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.
NJ DOC phone calls go through ICS Corrections / GTL. You control which numbers are approved. The grandchildren's relationship with their incarcerated parent is theirs.
NJ FamilyCare covers mental health services for children. If the grandchildren are struggling, ask the school counselor for a referral or the child's 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. Kinship Navigator support groups, KinKonnect, a therapist, a trusted person -- any of these is better than carrying it alone.
What to Do First: A Practical Checklist
Enroll the grandchildren in school using the affidavit student provision. Go to the school. File the affidavit. You do not need custody or a court order.
Apply for TANF child-only grant ($162/month for one child, no income limit on you, no guardianship required) through the Division of Family Development or 2-1-1.
Apply for NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid) at njfamilycare.org at the same time.
Dial 2-1-1. Connect to your county's Kinship Navigator agency. They will provide wraparound case management, help with the KLG application when you are eligible, and connect you to a small subsidy for immediate needs like furniture and clothing.
Get a notarized POA from the incarcerated parent through NJDOC notary services. Contact the facility case manager. Covers medical care and educational participation while you pursue KLG.
After one year of providing care, pursue Kinship Legal Guardianship (KLG). Contact your local kinship agency (through 2-1-1) or KinKonnect (1-877-554-5463) for assistance. If income is <=150% FPL, you qualify for the KCSP subsidy (up to $250/month per child) upon obtaining KLG.
If DCP&P placed the children: call the KLG subsidy line at 1-800-847-5027.
Take care of yourself. Find the kinship support groups through your local agency. The other grandparents doing this are the people who most understand what you are carrying.
FAQ
**What is the affidavit student rule in New Jersey?** New Jersey law allows grandparents to enroll grandchildren in their local school district without custody or guardianship. You file a sworn affidavit stating the child lives with you due to a family hardship -- parental incarceration qualifies. The school cannot require Social Security numbers, immigration documents, income tax records, or custody orders. This is one of the strongest school enrollment protections for grandparent caregivers in the country.
**What is the difference between TANF child-only ($162) and KCSP ($250) in New Jersey?** TANF child-only ($162/month for one child) requires no guardianship and no income limits on the caregiver. KCSP (up to $250/month per child) requires court-awarded Kinship Legal Guardianship (KLG) and family income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level. KCSP slots are allocated by county and are first-come, first-served. Moving from TANF to KCSP may reduce food stamp or housing assistance -- factor this in before applying for KCSP.
**What is Kinship Legal Guardianship (KLG)?** A New Jersey-specific court-awarded legal status that gives kinship caregivers the same rights and authority as biological parents. Requires one year of providing care before petitioning. The court must find parental incapacity is serious and unlikely to change. KLG is different from regular guardianship and is specifically designed for long-term kinship families. KLG unlocks the Kinship Care Subsidy Program ($250/month per child with income <=150% FPL). Contact: KinKonnect at 1-877-554-5463 or kinkonnect.org.
**How do I access the Kinship Navigator Program?** Dial 2-1-1 (or 1-800-435-7555). A 2-1-1 staff person will address immediate needs and connect you to your county's kinship agency. Four regional agencies cover all NJ counties. They provide wraparound case management, a small subsidy for furniture/clothing/activities, benefits navigation, and KLG application assistance.
**What is KinKonnect?** The New Jersey Kinship Legal Guardianship Resource Center -- a statewide organization providing KLG information, online resources, phone and email support, a lending library, and referral service. Phone: 1-877-KLG-Line (1-877-554-5463). Website: kinkonnect.org.
**What is NJ FamilyCare?** New Jersey's Medicaid program for families. Children in kinship care are eligible based on income. Covers doctor visits, dental, prescriptions, mental health services, emergency care, and vision. Apply at njfamilycare.org.
**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, NJDOC phone calls through ICS Corrections/GTL. NJ FamilyCare covers mental health services for children; ask the school counselor or primary care provider for a referral.
[SPEC NOTE: Folder 1mWUamVufeanK-LZbmcw4rbPb7yRIWRSP. Internal CTAs: New Jersey inmate search, send money, New Jersey reentry resources, Staying Connected hub, how prison works hub. SOURCING: ericbhannumlaw.com November 2025 (TANF child-only $162 monthly one child; Medicaid for children no income limits on caregiver no guardianship; Kinship Legal Guardianship subsidy up to $250 per month per child income 150% FPL; affidavit students grandparents enroll grandchildren local school districts without custody guardianship; law requires child live in grandparent's home due to family or economic hardship parental mental illness substance abuse incarceration death family violence inability adequate care; districts cannot require SSN immigration income tax custody orders; KLG primary formalization mechanism long-term; caregiver at least six consecutive months before petitioning [note: NJ statute and other sources say one year]; court find clear convincing evidence parental incapacity serious unlikely to change; KLG same rights authority biological parent medical educational legal decisions; parents retain visitation must pay child support; children maintain inheritance rights government benefits; court process begin calling 211); nj.gov/dcf/divisions-offices/dfcp/kinship.shtml (Kinship Navigator support caregivers taking responsibility relatives' children siblings nieces nephews grandchildren; navigate government assistance eligibility Kinship Navigator benefits technical support legal commitments; call 211 immediate need referred local kinship agency; one year caring child accept responsibility 18th birthday 21 if disabled; subsidy available; CarePlus NJ 201-398-9110 ext 5645 Bergen Hudson Morris Passaic Sussex Warren; Children's Aid and Family Service 1-201-225-8844 or 211; 2-1-1 toll free kinship navigator services); nj.gov/njfosteradopt/documents/Guide.to.Kinship.Legal.Guardianship.Support.Services.pdf (KLG Subsidy Program 1-866-233-5356 609-888-7457; KinKonnect 1-877-KLG-Line 1-877-554-5463 kinkonnect.org; 2-1-1 1-800-435-7555 1-877-652-1148 Kinship Navigator; direct deposit 1-844-830-6178 njdcfpaymentcenter.com; Way2Go card 1-833-322-1442 GoProgram.com; Medicaid Hotline 1-800-356-1561; Health Benefits ID Card 1-877-414-9251; HMO 1-800-701-0710); lsnjlaw.org kinship legal guardianship (kinship legal guardian up to $250 per month per child Kinship Care Subsidy Program as long as program has funds; if child has income subtracted from $250 difference; income confirmed 150% FPL eligibility KCSP approved; without kinship legal guardianship child only welfare grant $162 per month one child $322 two children; higher kinship care payments may result reduction food stamps or housing assistance; foster parents entitled higher payments); chsofnj.org (KLG subsidy up to $250 per month per child; child living caregiver's home without biological parent minimum one year; toll free 1 800-396-4518; Mercer Middlesex Monmouth Hunterdon Somerset Ocean Union); nj.gov DCP&P KLG subsidy 1-800-847-5027; kinkonnect.org KinKonnect statewide KLG resource center; njfamilycare.org NJ Medicaid; grandfamilies.org NJ 2024 (Grandma KARES kinship advocacy resources education moral spiritual support; support groups grandparents children raised kinship families food distribution financial support; KinKonnect kinship advocacy support education information resource services statewide directory Family Support Organizations bilingual Warmline; Kinship Navigator NJ DHS information referral wraparound services kinship legal guardianship assistance four local agencies; Title IV-E Kinship Legal Guardianship Subsidy); NJ Admin Code 10:90-19 KCSP (KCSP P.L. 2001 c. 250; monthly cash subsidies children residing low income kinship legal guardians; KCSP slots allocated county first come first served; caregiver granted KLG income <=150% FPL funds available); NJDOC ICS Corrections GTL phone; NJDOC notary services; 2-1-1 NJ; njfamilycare.org; McKinney-Vento backup; Social Security 1-800-772-1213. NOTE for Poorwa: verify affidavit student statute still current NJ school enrollment; verify one year care required before KLG petition (some sources say 6 months some say 1 year -- reconcile; the NJ DCF website says one year; use one year); verify TANF child-only $162 per month one child still current NJ; verify KCSP $250 per month per child 150% FPL still current and fund availability note; verify CarePlus NJ 201-398-9110 ext 5645 counties current; verify CHSofNJ 1-800-396-4518 counties current; verify Children's Aid and Family Service 1-201-225-8844 current; verify KinKonnect 1-877-554-5463 kinkonnect.org current; verify DCP&P KLG subsidy 1-800-847-5027 current; verify KLG subsidy 1-866-233-5356 609-888-7457 current; verify njfamilycare.org current; verify 2-1-1 NJ current 1-800-435-7555; verify NJDOC ICS Corrections GTL phone provider; verify McKinney-Vento still applicable; len/character check before publish.]