Kinship Care Worker Information

The eligibility and program requirements for Kinship Care are set forth in Chapter DCF 58.

There are three basic eligibility requirements for Kinship Care:

1. The basic needs of the child can be better met with the relative or like-kin caregiver than the with the parent
2. The placement is in the best interests of the child
3. The child is currently in need of protection or services or might meet the requirements for services if the child were to remain with his or her parent(s).

Other requirements include:

• A criminal background check on the kinship caregiver and adult household members
  • Kinship Care Barred Offenses – Caregiver Background Checks provides a list of barred offenses that result in initial denial of the kinship application. All kinship applicants initially denied based on background check results can request a Director Review, which allows the local agency discretion to approve the application or redetermination. 
• Cooperation with the agency by the kinship caregiver
• The kinship caregiver must apply for other public assistance or benefits for which the child might be eligible
• The kinship caregiver must cooperate with referral of the parents to child support, unless the kinship caregiver is granted a Good Cause exemption
• Kinship living arrangements and eligibility must be reviewed every 12 months
• Court Ordered Kinship Applicants (those with a CHIPS or JIPS order) must comply with the Levels of Care policy. The applicant must have a Foster Care license in order to receive Kinship Care payment during the process.

Governor Tony Evers signed 2023 Wisconsin Act 119 into law in March 2024. The adoption of this legislation (often referred to as the "like-kin legislation") means stronger support for kin caregivers and respect for how families self-define.

Changes to statute made by this Act – including an expanded definition of "relative" and the addition of a "like-kin" definition – will be effective as of January 1, 2025.

For more information about the impacts and implementation of this Act, see this resource: Impact of Like-Kin Legislation on Child Welfare Practice.

The funding for Kinship Care is provided to counties and tribes administering kinship care. Kinship Care funds are based on a one-year average of caseloads. At the end of each calendar year, the Department of Children and Families works with counties and tribes to reallocate funds. Counties and tribes may use other locally available funds for the Kinship Care Program.

Agencies are required to report to the Department if they need to create a waiting list for kinship care funding.

The amount of Kinship Care funding to be provided for a child is determined by state statute. For 2024 & 2025, the Kinship Care rate is $375.00.

The Kinship Care Tracking System (KCTS) is the system providing the essential elements to the administration and tracking of events related to Kinship Care for tribes.   A user manual is available to provide direction in the use of the tracking system.

The technology of the KCTS provides an automated solution to many of the tasks associated with reporting information required by the federal government. Web KCTS serves as the reporting system for Kinship Care tribes that do not yet have access to the Electronic Wisconsin Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (eWiSACWIS). County agencies use eWiSACWIS to track Kinship Care data. Tribal and county staff are required to record, by the 10th of each month into KCTS and eWiSACWIS, the data for the prior month.

Tribe users use Web KCTS to:

• Improve the accuracy of their Tribe Kinship Care information.
• View, edit, and report on their Tribe Kinship Care data.

Wisconsin Statute 48.57(3p) discusses background checks and crimes which would prevent an applicant from becoming a Kinship Care Provider.

DCF Child Welfare Policy Memos is the list of current memos in a searchable table format.

The eWiSACWIS Knowledge Web provides technical and training resources.

2021 Wisconsin Act 72, also commonly referred to as Ethan's Law, provides additional information a court must consider regarding criminal backgrounds of individuals within the child welfare system.