Kinship Care

Kinship Care Application(DOCX, 76KB)

Non-Secure E-Mail Communications Consent Form

Consent to Engage in Video Conference Form

The application is a fillable form for your convenience. Once completed, the application can be printed and mailed or delivered to the Youth and Families Services division, or emailed toHHSFosterCare@outgamie.gov. Please download and save the Application to your computer, complete required information, and submit in your chosen manner, or request an application packet be sent via mail by providing the following information:

• Name
• Address
• Phone

When a child is at risk of abuse and/or neglect if they continue to reside in the parental home, or the child has been confirmed to be abused and/or neglected, they can be removed from their home of origin and placed in out-of-home care. To place a child with a relative or like-kin provider, the individual(s) must be able to demonstrate an ability to meet the needs of the child and be able to provide a safe and stable living environment.

The relative/like-kin provider(s) and any other person over the age of 10 residing in the home must agree to have a local and state criminal background check completed in addition to a check into any current or past involvement with Child Protective Services. Results of these checks that demonstrate extensive contacts with law enforcement or child protective services by an adult in the home may be cause for the applicant to be denied kinship care funding.

A home visit by an Out-of-Home Care Coordinator must be conducted to ensure that the home environment is appropriate and safe for the child. If these criteria are met, the relative/like-kin provider will be approved to receive the kinship care stipend.

Contacting the child’s parents/legal guardians to be sure they are aware and approve of the child’s living arrangements is required unless it is a court-ordered placement. Acquiring information to refer the natural parents to the Child Support agency in an attempt to recoup the cost of the kinship care stipend is also required. 

Kinship certification may be denied for the following reasons:

• The child receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• The natural parent resides in the home
• The criminal check does not meet State requirements
• The jurisdictional and need criteria are not met as defined by Wisconsin State Statutes
• If the provider or another household member has a significant Child Protective Services history 

Kinship Care cases are reviewed by the Out-of-Home Care team on a yearly basis to ensure that the relative continues to meet eligibility requirements. If there are concerns about the stability of the living arrangements, the assigned worker may have more frequent contact. Children who are placed with relatives/like-kin under a juvenile court order will also have a case worker from the Children, Youth and Families Division who will monitor the placement on a monthly basis. In both scenarios, a case worker will be expected to visit with the child on a consistent basis.

Call 920-832-5961 and ask to be transferred to the Out-of-Home Care Coordinator or e-mail the following inbox: HHSFoster@outagamie.org.  

The State of Wisconsin provides a stipend in the amount of $384 per month per child for relatives/like-kin meeting the eligibility requirements. However, due to funding, there could be a wait list for the program. If this occurs, applicants are placed on a wait list in the order their application is received. Once funding is available, the Out-of-Home Care Coordinator will contact the provider to determine if they meet the eligibility requirements listed above. There is one exception in that children placed in a relatives’ home under a Juvenile Court order are not subject to the waiting list.

The child may be eligible for medical assistance and child care funding. Eligibility for these programs is determined by the W-2 Economic Support Programs. To apply call Outagamie County Economic Support at 920-832-5168.

The "It's All Relative" support group is a grant funded group that may be available to all Outagamie County residents that are raising their grandchildren or other minor relatives depending on current grant cycle. This group focuses on the roles grandparents and relatives play and provides an opportunity to meet others who share similar experiences, knowledge, strengths and hopes. This support group provides a place to belong and is a network of support. Please contact the Out-of-Home Care team at 920-832-5961 to determine the status of the support group meeting dates and times.

The following training are open to Kinship providers to attend:

TBRI Training Schedule(PDF, 627KB)

OHC Book Club(PDF, 101KB)

Trauma Training(PDF, 259KB)