This model law developed by the Hidden Foster Care Coalition was adopted and finalized by ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) on January 6, 2026. This model law sets clear legal guidelines to establish parameters and processes for short term arrangements that enable relatives and fictive kin to play constructive roles in caring for children during investigations when the alternative to these arrangements would be placement of the children into foster care. Model laws provide a legislative framework for states to implement at the state level.  

Summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the topic of foster care legal representation, released on 9/28/23. This new rule includes the “costs of legal representation” as a reimbursable expense under Title IV-E for a list of involved persons, including kinship caregivers. The final rule was released on May 9, 2024, and will go into effect on July 9, 2024. 

Administration for Children and Families Program Instruction to provide instruction and attachements to title IV-E agencies on title IV-E plan amendments resulting from the promulgation of Separate Licensing Standards for Relative or Kinship Foster Family Homes (88 FR 66700). 

Fact Sheet developed by the Gandfamilies and Kinship Support Ntwork and Child Trends presenting state-level information on TANF child-only benefit recipients; benefit amounts; and select state policies as they relate to children raised by their grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends. 

This document developed by the Center for Legal and Judicial Innovation and Advancement shares ideas and suggested best practices for exploring or expanding the use of IV-E funding to improve the quality of legal representation in child welfare.