If you are a grandparent in Illinois raising children, things might be more difficult than they were the first time around. As stressful as it may be to go through parenting again, the state offers many resources that can help.
Regardless of your income, if you are raising a child as a grandparent, the in Illinois Department of Child and Family Services states that you can receive a Child Only Grant of around $100 per month. Your child will automatically qualify to receive medical assistance if you are receiving this grant.
Extended Family Support Program
You and your extended family members who help with raising the child can also receive assistance through the Extended Family Support Program. This program provides community resources, basic services and goods, entitlements, grants and can also help the children get enrolled in school. The EFSP can also help relative caregivers obtain private guardianship.
Advocacy programs
In some cases, children who have been placed in grandparents’ care can cause unforeseen issues. Should such an issue arise, you can seek assistance through the DCFS advocacy office, which will act as a liaison between DCFS and the in Illinois Department on Aging.
Sometimes the health of people in an older age bracket can be unpredictable and may deteriorate rapidly. It is thus prudent to have a custodial back-up plan in case of your unforeseen incapacity, death or illness. You can get referrals to service providers that can help in these situations through your local Agency on Aging or the Center for Law and Social Work. In most cases, workers at both DCFS and the Department on Aging can collaborate to provide better assistance as you seek out support.
