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Do relatives get paid to raise a child in Georgia?

Last verified Oct 18, 2026 · Sources: PAMMS 22.4, 22.8 · TANF 1205, 1210, 1335 · DHS Kinship Care Portal View the full guide →

Short answer

Sometimes, and it depends on whether the child is in DFCS custody. Georgia policy lists the foster care per diem, the Enhanced Relative Rate and TANF as the financial supports for a child placed with a kinship caregiver in foster care; if the child is not in DFCS custody, a relative can ask for TANF for the child, and a grandparent may also qualify for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) payments.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 Source: DFCS policy 22.8, Financial and Non-Financial Supports

We're not attorneys, and this is not legal advice

We quote Georgia DFCS policy word for word and link to it rather than interpreting it. For advice about custody, guardianship or adoption in your situation, talk to a lawyer; the guardianship guide lists free legal help.

If the child is in DFCS custody and I'm approved as a kinship foster home

When DFCS has custody of a child and places the child with a relative, DFCS policy says it will discuss these financial supports with the caregiver: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"For Placement: Foster Care Per Diem Enhanced Relative Rate (ERR) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) For Permanency: Adoption Assistance (AA)"

Approval as a kinship foster home comes from a home study. The policy gives DFCS a deadline for it: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"Complete the kinship foster home evaluation within 120 calendar days."

Policy 22.8 says the Enhanced Relative Rate ends when "the caregiver has become approved as a foster home and the foster care per diem has been initiated." Verified Oct 18, 2026 We don't print per diem or Enhanced Relative Rate dollar amounts on this page; the per diem guide shows what DFCS publishes and what we could not yet confirm.

If the child is not in DFCS custody, what can I get?

TANF for the child alone. Georgia's TANF policy lets a relative choose whether to be part of the grant. Where there is no parent in the home, the manual says: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"If there is no parent in the home include, at the AU’s option, the specified relative with whom the child lives as the caretaker."

("AU" means assistance unit, the people the grant covers.) TANF also requires a family relationship to the child. The manual's list of qualifying relationships includes: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"grandparent (up to great-great-great) sibling (half, whole, step) aunt/uncle (up to great-great) niece/nephew (including child and grandchild of niece/nephew) first cousin first cousin once removed"

A family friend or other person who is not on that list is not covered by this rule. The Kinship Navigator (below) can tell you what else may be open to you.

Extra help for grandparents (GRG)

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) has two payments: a Monthly Subsidy Payment (MSP) and a one-time Crisis Intervention Services Payment (CRISP). Policy sets these conditions: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"is a caretaker of his/her grandchild is 55 years of age or older, OR any age and is disabled, is not participating in an existing foster care program and not receiving per diem payments, and household income is less than 160% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)."

The same policy states the monthly amount, in the version dated February 2025: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"The GRG MSP is a cash payment of $100.00 per child, per month."

We use this box for something we couldn't confirm with an official source, or that is changing. See it on our list of everything we're still confirming

Not yet confirmed for this fiscal year

Georgia's fiscal year 2027 began July 1, 2026. The policy text above is dated February 2025, and as of October 18, 2026 we haven't found a DFCS document that confirms the amount for this fiscal year. Ask the office that handles your TANF case to confirm the current amount in writing before you budget.

What if I become the child's guardian or adopt?

Policy 22.8 names payments for children who leave foster care to permanency: Subsidized Guardianship (SG), Non-Relative Subsidized Guardianship (NRSG) and Adoption Assistance (AA). The timing matters. It says: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"The Subsidized Guardianship/Non-Relative Subsidized Guardianship Application and Agreement must be signed by the caregiver prior to the transfer of permanent guardianship."

Because that agreement comes before the court transfer, ask about subsidies before you agree to any guardianship order. The guardianship guide compares the options.

Who can help me work out which route applies to me?

Georgia's Kinship Navigator Program exists for this. Its FAQ says: Verified Oct 18, 2026

"No, you do not have to have custody or guardianship to receive assistance from the Kinship Navigator Program."

Find your navigator at kinnav.dhs.ga.gov.

What to do next

Kinship care in Georgia: start here

The two kinship paths, who qualifies and who to call first.

Guide · 8 min

Guardianship, custody and adoption compared

The legal options for a relative raising a child, and the subsidy question to ask first.

Guide · 10 min

The foster care per diem

What DFCS publishes for foster homes and what we could not yet confirm.

Guide · 7 min

WIC, SNAP and CAPS childcare

Other benefits relatives ask about in the first weeks.

FAQ · 6 min

Sources & verification

Foster411 summarizes Georgia policy in plain language. Rules and amounts change; if today is past our verified date, confirm with your case manager or the source above.