The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services operates from a family-centered approach, understanding that it can be emotionally difficult for a child to be separated from their parents. When a child must be removed from their home, DCFS makes every attempt to place children with a family member or a non-related adult close to the child (“non-relative extended family member”) to provide as much stability and familiarity for the child as possible.
The resources below are only available to relative caregivers. However, relative caregivers also have access to most Foster Parent Resources offered by DCFS.
In many instances, relatives are asked to care for a family member’s child because of emergency situations. These unexpected circumstances can be challenging. If you receive a call from DCFS about placing a young family member in your care, here are some things to expect:
If a child in your family or extended family is currently living in foster care and you would like them to be placed with you, you may request a placement through the following process:
When a child is placed in your home, you will begin receiving a monthly stipend to cover the cost of care for that child. If you are not yet approved as a Resource Family but a child has been placed in your home, you will receive temporary funding for up to a year, or until you are approved. Learn more about Resource Family Funding by visiting the links below.
If you are not receiving funding or are receiving the wrong amount of funding, please call the Resource Family Helpline at 800-697-4444 or email FCHL@dcfs.lacounty.gov and eligibility workers will be able to look up your case and payment status.
If you are a relative caregiver or non-relative extended family member who could use some extra support, there are community organizations in your area that can help. These organizations can provide services to help you better meet the needs of the children in your care. Some of these services include:
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Find the Relative Support Service provider in your Service Planning Area (SPA) to call them directly, or call the DCFS Caregiver Warmline at (877) 323-7165 .
Research shows that family and caregivers who create accepting and supportive environments can improve the health, mental health, self-esteem and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth. To help create a home where LGBTQ+ youth are safe, it is important to support and accept the young people in your care without bias. There are resources available to help you be the affirming caregiver that youth need.
Becoming an Affirming Caregiver Information Resources for LGBTQ+ Young People & Their Caregivers
Online Training: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth – Considerations for Caregivers
FURS includes a statewide hotline as well as local mobile response teams to provide immediate trauma-informed support to current and former foster youth and their caregivers. For 24/7 phone or in-person support, you can call or text FURS at 1-833-939-FURS (1-833-939-3877) for any issues, big or small.
Both the statewide hotline and local mobile response teams are available 24/7/365.
FURS Flyer in English Folleto de FURS en Español
Alliance of Relative Caregivers ARC offers a range of supportive services for relative caregivers including free groups led by peer support facilitators and help navigating schools and/or an IEP for a child with special needs. For questions please email Program Coordinator Sylvie de Toledo or call (818) 789-1177.
Alliance of Relative Caregivers
For grandparents (and other relatives) who are caring for their children’s children, navigating the DCFS process and gaining access to resources can be particularly difficult.
ONEgeneration’s Grandparents as Parents (GAP) program advocates for caregivers when they may become overwhelmed. GAP provides connection and support, training, and counseling, breaking the isolation that relative caregivers face when parents can no longer parent. Services offered by GAP include support groups in English and Spanish, case management, concrete goods (diapers, clothing, shoes, strollers, car seats and more), court navigation support (assistance in court and completing court documents) and more!
Call (818) 264-0880 or email GAP@ONEgeneration.org to attend an upcoming support group meeting and get connected to an array of supportive services.
Grandparents as Parents Website Court Navigation Flyer
The Community Coalition helps to strengthen and unite families including those who are directly impacted by the Child Welfare system. Offering a support group for relative caregivers that reside in the SPA 6 service area, the Community Coalition’s ‘Kinship in Action’ program seeks to give relative caregivers a voice, increased awareness and connect them with resources and support. Contact Enrique Gaspar at (323) 750-9087.
Advocates 4 Family Caregivers, based in Carson, works throughout the county and offers support groups, tangible goods, Notary services, and assistance with Child and Family Team Meetings, IEPs, and visitations. They can also assist with the expungement or dismissal of criminal records. Contact Betty Halle at 310-538-0555 or Betty@A4FC.org .
ROCK services the Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley with a team of Kinship caregivers with over 23 years of experience. Some of the support services available include placement appeals, mediation, attendance at Court, filing Court forms such and probate guardianship. They also partner with the Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center to hold weekly support groups. Contact Cheral Hymen at (661) 478-1881.
The Kinship Association gives relative families a voice by offering supportive services for families in the Antelope Valley. They offer support groups, monitors visits, provides necessary essentials, referrals and more including a clothing closet for youth. Call (661)794-2076.
Support Groups are safe-places designed to help caregivers navigate resource parenting and provide access to resources, education and support to be successful in this new or on-going role. Groups are held in-person, virtual and hybrid.
For relative families faced with an emergency placement, Foster Love LA supports families by hand delivering some of the essentials. Foster Love LA keeps a variety of goods on hand including clothing in sizes 0-5T which can be requested via the request form on their website. In addition to tangible items, Foster Love LA hosts quarterly events for “foster moms” and helps identify link families to appropriate resources.
James Storehouse provides support to families with infants through teens. Based in Ventura County, they also serve Los Angeles County families and offer an in-house boutique for free shopping, along with group birthday parties and back-to-school shopping events. Referrals are made by through the social worker and families are then contacted for an appointment.
Offering a shopping experience tailored to tweens and teens, ‘Hope in a Suitcase’ offers shopping days for youth ages 8-18 where they can shop for new clothing ranging from casual to business attire, essentials and even books, and all for free! There are also shopping opportunities for transition age youth (TAY).
Los Angeles County has 17 community colleges that provide “Foster and Kinship Care Education” to support you and your kin and help develop skills and abilities to provide safe, healthy and nurturing home environments for children in your care.
These community colleges include:
Antelope Valley – Cerritos – Citrus/Chaffey/Mt. San Antonio – College of the Canyons – Compton College East Los Angeles – El Camino – Long Beach City – Los Angeles City – Los Angeles Harbor – Los Angles Mission – Los Angeles Pierce – Los Angeles Southwest – Los Angeles Trade Tech – Pasadena City – Rio Hondo – West Los Angeles
Contact the Kinship Resource Center for more information at (626) 430-3200.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Toll Free within California
(800) 540-4000Outside of California
(213) 639-4500TDD - Hearing Imparied
(800) 272-6699