Kinship Services

Kinship care is an alternate living arrangement for a child who cannot remain at home. The child may live with a relative through blood or marriage or with an unrelated person who has a close, supportive relationship with the child (kin).

Kinship care plays an important role in helping a child through a difficult time. To become an approved caregiver, the friend or relative must participate in a relative homestudy. This includes a criminal background check, children’s services background checks, and a home safety audit.

Relatives may apply for financial and medical assistance for the child from the Wyandot County Department of Job and Family Services. Kin (unrelated caregivers) may apply only for medical assistance for the child. The Wyandot County Department of Job and Family Services will decide if the child is eligible for both financial and medical assistance. Wyandot County Children Services may help with some of the expenses involved in transitioning the child to your home.

Wyandot County Children’s Services also operates a Kinship Permanency Incentive Program for caregivers who receive legal custody. Some kinship families are eligible to receive help through the KPI Program. KPI is a state initiative that provides kinship families who meet eligibility requirements and who received legal custody or guardianship of a kinship youth on or after July 1, 2005, with time-limited incentive payments. 

For more information about this program, please call 419-617-4176.

Additional Resources for Kinship Care

Go to PCSAO-Kinship Care website.

Go to Ohio Grandparents/Kinship Coalition website.

Go to the Ohio Resource Guide for Relatives Caring for Children.