Maine Kinship Care: Requirements, Temporary Licensing, and Financial Support

When a child is removed from a parent's home in Maine, the first question OCFS asks is not "which foster family is available?" — it's "is there a relative who can take this child?" That's not a courtesy search. It's a legal requirement. Maine statute (22 M.R.S. §4003) mandates that relatives be considered first for any removal placement.

If you're a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or other relative suddenly responsible for a child, this page covers what your options are, what the licensing process looks like for kin, and how the financial support compares depending on which path you choose.

Two Paths for Kinship Caregivers

When a relative steps in to care for a child, they typically have two options:

Informal (unlicensed) kinship care. The child lives with you without OCFS issuing a full foster care license. This arrangement may qualify for Child-Only TANF benefits — a smaller monthly payment available to relatives not seeking full licensure. The amount is significantly lower than the foster care board rate.

Licensed kinship foster care. You go through the foster care licensing process, receive a full or temporary license, and receive the same board rate as any other licensed foster family (starting at $26.25/day for Level A). You also get access to MaineCare for the child, clothing allowances, respite care funding, and child care subsidies.

The financial difference is real. Licensed families receive board rates that can exceed $800–$2,400 per month depending on the child's needs. TANF child-only payments are substantially lower. If you're going to be providing care for more than a few months, pursuing licensure is almost always the better financial outcome.

Expedited Temporary Licensing for Relatives

Maine law allows OCFS to issue a Temporary Family Foster Home License for relatives for up to 120 days based on a preliminary evaluation — without waiting for the full background check and training process to complete. This means the child can move in with you immediately while the licensing process runs in the background.

The temporary license is based on an initial assessment, not a full home study. OCFS will conduct a safety check of the home and run preliminary background checks. Once the 120-day period is underway, you complete the remaining requirements (TIPS-MAPP or RFIT training, comprehensive background checks, full home inspection) to convert to a full license.

If you're in an emergency kinship placement and haven't started any paperwork, call your local OCFS district office immediately and say explicitly that you're a relative caring for a child and need to discuss a temporary license. Don't wait for them to find you.

Training for Kinship Caregivers: RFIT vs. TIPS-MAPP

Maine offers kinship caregivers a specific alternative to the standard 30-hour TIPS-MAPP pre-service training: the Resource Family Introductory Training (RFIT). RFIT is designed specifically for the kinship context — navigating your existing relationship with the child's parents, managing divided loyalties, understanding your legal rights within the OCFS system, and accessing the financial support you're entitled to.

In early 2025, approximately 70% of new training completions in Maine were from kinship caregivers, which reflects both the scale of kin placements and OCFS's shift toward prioritizing family placements whenever possible.

Ask your OCFS worker specifically about RFIT eligibility when you first contact the district. Not all districts automatically offer it — you may need to request it.

Requirements for Kinship Caregivers

The same basic eligibility requirements apply to kinship caregivers as to non-relative foster parents:

• Minimum age of 21
• Maine residency
• Background checks for all adults in the household (FBI and Maine State Police fingerprinting, CPS Central Registry, sex offender registry)
• Health clearances for all household adults
• Home must meet physical safety standards (fire safety, bedroom space, well water testing if on a private well)

The key difference is the temporary license pathway, which lets you begin providing care before all of these are complete. However, the checks still happen — they're just not a barrier to initial placement.

OCFS also looks at your financial situation, not to set a minimum income, but to confirm that the household can be maintained without entirely depending on the board rate. For grandparents on fixed incomes, this conversation matters. Be prepared to show Social Security income, pension, or other predictable sources.

Financial Support Available to Licensed Kinship Families

Once licensed, kinship foster families receive the same benefits as any other licensed resource family:

• Daily board rate based on the child's Level of Care assessment
• MaineCare for the child (all medical, dental, mental health care)
• Quarterly clothing allowance
• Child Care Affordability Program (CCAP) for working caregivers
• Up to 14 days of respite care annually
• School transportation reimbursement if the child stays in their school of origin

The Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (AFFM) operates specific programs for kinship families, including clothing closets and peer mentors who have navigated the same situation. Their website and local chapters are worth contacting early — they operate independently of OCFS and can provide support that the state system sometimes can't.

When Kinship Care Becomes Adoption

If a child's parents have their rights terminated and you've been the kinship caregiver, you'll typically be the first family OCFS considers for adoption. Maine statute requires that a child's existing placement be prioritized as the adoptive home when that's in the child's best interest.

Kinship adoption may qualify for the same Adoption Assistance program as non-relative adoptive families, including a monthly subsidy and continued MaineCare coverage for the child. The subsidy amount depends on the child's needs and is negotiated with OCFS before finalization. Don't finalize without getting specific numbers — the subsidy is significantly harder to adjust upward after the fact.

If You're Caring for a Wabanaki Child

Maine's Indian Child Welfare Act (MICWA) creates a specific placement preference order for children who are members of one of Maine's five Wabanaki Nations: extended family first, then tribal-licensed foster homes, then Indian foster homes licensed by the state, then Indian-operated institutions.

If you are a non-Native relative caring for a child who is a member of a Wabanaki Nation, you should understand that MICWA creates a strong presumption toward tribal placement. This doesn't mean you'll automatically lose the placement, but the tribe has legal rights to be notified and involved in placement decisions. Understanding those rights early — and cooperating with the tribal child welfare unit rather than treating them as adversaries — is the most effective approach.

The Maine Foster Care Licensing Guide includes a section on kinship care pathways, temporary licensing, and the financial comparison between TANF and licensed placement rates, along with the specific contacts at each OCFS district for kinship placements.

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