Milwaukee County Child Protective Services

Kinship Care Program

Woman holding girl in a purple coat

Kinship Care helps support a child who lives outside of their own home, either temporarily or for the long term, with the relative (such as an adult brother or sister, a first cousin, a nephew or niece, an uncle or aunt or a grandparent, among others).

Kinship Care aid in reducing family stress or temporary family issues, rather than being placed in a foster home or other types of court ordered placements. The Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services Kinship Care Program creates another placement option for a child who may not be able to continue living at home with his or her parents.

There are two types of Kinship Care:

  • Voluntary Kinship: Strictly a financial support program without any children's court involvement. Milwaukee County Residents who are interested in becoming a Kinship care provider can call Professional Services Group (PSG) at (414) 475-4200 for information.
  • Court Ordered Kinship: This type of placement is used when a child is removed from the home under a court order. The court then decides that it is in the child's best interest to be placed with the identified relative where foster parent licensing is not an option.

In both kinship care type the relative must complete a Kinship Care application. Kinship Care in Wisconsin is county specific.

Kinship Care Program Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility requirements for Kinship Care Program are:

  • the basic needs of the child can be better met with the relative than with the parent;
  • the placement is in the best interests of the child; and
  • the child currently or would potentially meet the requirements for court jurisdiction as being in need of protection or services if the child were to remain with his or her parent(s).
  • a criminal background check on the relative caretaker;
  • cooperation with the agency by the relative caretaker;
  • the relative caretaker must apply for other public assistance or benefits for which the child might be eligible; and,
  • the relative caretaker must cooperate with referral of the parents to child support, unless the relative caretaker requests and is granted a good cause exemption from cooperating with the referral to child support.
  • Kinship living arrangements must be reviewed no less frequently than every 12 months to determine if the eligibility requirements continue to be met.

Contact the Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services for Court Ordered Kinship

Contact the Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services for Voluntary Kinship