how can i get help paying for a lawyer to get custody of my grandchildren ky

by Elena Blanda Jr. 4 min read

You can locate your local program by looking under lawyers or legal aid in your local phone book. If you need help locating your local legal aid program, you can call the Legal Helpline for Older Kentuckians at 800-200-3633. The challenges you face when caring for your grandchildren may sometimes seem overwhelming.

What financial assistance do grandparents with legal custody of grandchildren get?

Asked on May 26th, 2012 on Child Custody - Colorado More details to this question: i need help getting my grandchildren but i have no job at this but in the process of getting one also don't have a home but i been approved for housing and is on the waiting list and will also try to get assistance to help with childcare.

How do I get a free child custody lawyer?

When you Do Not Have Legal Custody. Temporary Family Assistance. Grandparents who are caring for a grandchild but are not the child’s legal guardian or applied to foster parents through the Department of Children and Families (DCF), can receive TFA. The child’s related caregiver will receive approximately $330 per month. Your income is not considered for the child to receive …

Do grandparents need a lawyer for grandparent custody cases?

The lawyer can help you by providing more information on getting a free lawyer for child custody. It would also be helpful if you know any lawyer personally and seek help from them. The lawyer who knows you personally and your ex-partner will understand the case that will be highly beneficial to you to increase the chances of winning your case.

How to get custody of a grandchild in the US?

How can I get emergency custody of my grandchildren? Lawyer directory. Find a lawyer near you. Avvo has 97% of all lawyers in the US. Find the best ones near you. ... Start with your legal issue to find the right lawyer for you. Choose an area of law that your issue relates to: Bankruptcy and debt; Business; Car accident;

Can grandparents get legal aid?

If you are a parent (or someone who holds parental responsibility for a child, for example a grandparent with a residence or special guardianship order or a child arrangements order that says the child should live with you) and social services begin court proceedings about the child called “care proceedings” you will ...

Do grandparents have custody rights in Kentucky?

In Kentucky, grandparents have a legal right to request reasonable visitation with their grandchildren at any time—before or after divorce, separation, or one parent's death.

Can a grandparent get custody of their grandchild?

Can Grandparents get custody of their grandchildren? Grandparents can also get custody of their grandchildren in situations where parents are unable to care for their children. This can be done by grandparents obtaining temporary or permanent custody which is also known as special or legal guardianship.

What is kinship care in KY?

The Kentucky Kinship Care Program provides $300 a month per child for kinship caregivers who take in children who have experienced abuse and neglect and placed by the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS). • No new kinship families have been able to enroll in this program since April 2013.

How can a grandparent get custody of grandchild in Kentucky?

A grandparent or other caregiver of a child who qualifies as a de facto custodian has the legal right to be heard by a Kentucky court in a custody case. Without de facto custodian status, a grandparent can not seek custody of a grandchild without first proving that the biological parents are unfit to serve as parents.

What rights do grandparents have?

Do they have a right to see their grandchildren by virtue of being closely related? The short answer to this is, no - grandparents do not have any automatic legal rights.

Can a parent stop a child from seeing grandparents?

Withholding Grandchildren from Grandparents: Everything You'd Need To Know. The law does not give grandparents any automatic rights to see their grandchildren. So, in almost every case, parents can keep children away from grandparents if they choose to. This doesn't mean grandparents have no other options.

Can I stop my ex mother in law seeing my child?

It can be frustrating, as many parents new to this situation wonder if they can prevent their children from being in contact with certain people. Unfortunately, unless your ex agrees otherwise, the short answer is no, unless there is a significant risk of harm to the children from said exposure.Feb 23, 2018

Are grandparents immediate family?

Immediate family refers to a person's parents, siblings, spouse, child by blood, adoption or marriage, grandparents and grandchildren.Mar 4, 2020

What is kinship allowance?

All foster/kinship carers get an allowance to cover the cost of caring for a child in their home. Some foster carers also receive a fee because they have certain knowledge and skills. Financial support is also available to people supporting young people aged between 18 and 21 years old in: education.

What is KY twist payment?

Welcome. Kentucky TWIST Payments is a portal designed for the Cabinet for Health & Family Services TWIST partners. Partners will have the ability to create professional, customized and trackable online invoices, as well as access electronic remittance statements and payment history.

What is kinship care allowance?

Financial help when the child is 'Looked After' All local councils in Scotland make payments to kinship carers of Looked After children to help with the costs of raising the child. This is called a kinship care allowance. Kinship carers of Looked After children should get the same rate as the local fostering allowance.

How many grandparents have custody of their grandchildren?

Around the country, nearly 3 million grandparents are raising their grandchildren instead of biological parents. This is so normal that judges and legal systems across the country know how to grant this custody in a standardized manner. IF you’re trying to figure out how to get custody of your grandchild, patience will be your ally ...

What to consider when aiming for custody of grandchildren?

1. Understand the Stakes. When you’re seeking to get involved with your grandchildren’s guardianship, you need to be realistic about who you’re fighting against.

What are the issues that courts and judges will be most receptive to?

The issues that courts and judges will be most receptive to are going to be centered around the safety of children. Your most strategic advantages will lie in taking advantage of situations where parents can’t take care of the children safely.

Can my grandchildren open up to me?

Visitation rights can be powerful. If your grandchildren can’t trust other adults and don’t feel safe with their parents, they could open up to you. When push comes to shove, they could testify on your behalf if you seek custody at a later date.

Can grandparents advocate for their own custody?

One of the times that grandparents will sometimes try to get in the middle of a custody battle and advocate their own guardianship. This might seem like a good opportunity, but ultimately it’s a bad look for grandparents.

Can a judge see if both parents are fit to care for their children?

If both of the children’s parents are willing to come to court and testify, the judge is likely to see them both as potentially fit to care for the children. This might be hard for you to face, but you have to see the people you’re fighting against are your own children.

What is the food stamp program?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program , previously called the food stamp program, provides monthly benefits to purchase food. Your grandchild might be eligible for health insurance through the Medicaid program or the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.

How many children live with grandparents?

More than five million children live with their grandparents, according to AARP. Grandparents who have legal custody of grandchildren have several resources for financial assistance through government agencies, social service organizations and private foundations.

Can a child with a disability get Supplemental Security Income?

A child with a disability also might qualify for Supplemental Security Income based on the parents' income. Contact the SSA or visit a local office for more information on benefits to which you or your grandchild might be entitled. Advertisement.

Can a grandchild receive Social Security?

Social Security Administration. Your grandchild might be eligible to receive monthly benefits from the Social Security Administration if the parent is deceased or disabled, or if the child is disabled and meets the other requirements. A child with a disability also might qualify for Supplemental Security Income based on the parents' income.

Can you claim education expenses on taxes?

You can claim education expenses, including tuition, paid for a child with disabilities as medical expenses. Take federal tax credits for higher education, like the American Opportunity Tax Credit, for older grandchildren who are off to college.

Do grandparents have to pay child support?

Child Support from Parents. The court can require the child's parents to pay child support to the grandparents. Contact the child support unit of your county court or the local department of social services. Some government agencies will require you to file papers to receive such support.

How many parents do grandchildren have?

KNOW YOUR ADVERSARIES. Remember that your grandchildren likely have two parents. Generally, an unfit parent is more likely to have children with someone who is similarly unfit. Investigate whether you would be able to prevail in a grandparent custody case against both parents.

What are some examples of biological parents?

Examples include seeking custody after the biological parent (s) are arrested or convicted of a crime, or if suffering mental illness, engaged in an addiction, or involved with physically abusive partners.

What to do if your grandchild is in custody battle?

If your grandchildren are in a custody battle between two barely competent parents, consider supporting and encouraging and supporting your own child’s ability to parent instead of intervening in the case. Perhaps provide housing or other support for your child to help provide stability for your grandchildren.

What to do if you want to get custody of your grandchildren?

Grandparent custody cases are often very challenging, and grandparents who wish to seek custody of grandchildren should consult with a lawyer who is familiar with third party custody cases. The lawyer can help grandparents fully consider their chances for success and plan how to improve those chances.

How to protect your grandchildren from abuse?

If your grandchildren are in danger of abuse or neglect it is appropriate to ask state child abuse officials to initiate a protective action and investigation. You can request that the children be placed in your care if they are removed from the biological parents. DO NOT make false or exaggerated reports or claims to try to gain a tactical advantage. The state reporting agencies are aware that people involved in custody disputes do exaggerate and falsify claims of child abuse, and they will develop written records and may write recommendations that subsequently harm those people in court.

What happens if both parents appear in a custody case?

If both parents appear in the case, you may face the challenging prospect of proving your case against both biological parents.

Do grandparents and biological parents have equal rights?

In such cases the grandparents and the biological parents are not on equal footing. Courts do not simply compare the grandparents’ and the biological parents’ respective parenting abilities to determine who should be awarded custody.

What is financial assistance for grandparents?

Financial Assistance Programs to Grandparents Raising who are Raising Grandchildren. If you are a grandmother or grandfather caring for one or more grandchildren, know there are financial, medical and grandparents raising grandchildren resources available through government, charity, and community organizations.

How many grandchildren live with grandparents?

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2014, more than 13 million grandchildren live with their grandparents. With the rise of the opioid epidemic, many parents cannot properly care for their children because of addiction or incarceration. Often rather than have the kids taken by the state, many grandparents step in to care ...

What is subsidized guardianship?

Subsidized guardianship is guardianships award financial assistance to legal guardians of children cared for by relatives. If they have been in foster care and you gain guardianship of them, you may be able to receive subsidized guardianship.

Why are grandparents raising their grandchildren?

This can be because their children cannot take care of their children because of addiction, incarceration, mental illness, death, or other reasons.

What is a FAP for a grandparent?

The Family Assistance Program (FAP) Grandparents or relatives caring for children can receive FAP or a Foster Care Stipend. This program provides cash, Medicaid. Family caregiver’s income is not considered as part of the child/children’s income. Cash assistance amounts are determined by the number of children in the household.

How old do you have to be to be a foster parent?

Fostering ends when the parent can care for the child or until the child is 18 years old. However, you are required to qualify for licensing like any other non-related adult looking to foster a child. As a foster parent, grandparents raising ...

What is the purpose of assistance programs?

Assistance programs help children say within their own families, which helps address separation anxiety and depressio n. Assistance programs help children say within their own families , which helps address separation anxiety and depression experienced from the disruption of their home lives.

What does it mean when you divorce your ex?

Unfortunately, if you are going through a divorce, it probably means that your relationship with your ex-partner is no longer great. It is not uncommon for an ex-partner to use a child as leverage in divorce proceedings. Therefore, it is tremendously important that you have adequate legal representation to ensure that you retain the custody ...

What is a family and custody lawyer?

Family and custody lawyers usually see a lot of inter-jurisdictional cases and are aware as to how to handle such as situation effectively, and how to obtain custody should such a scenario arise.

How old do you have to be to get custody of a child?

Ensure that you take into account the choice of the child, should the child be above the age of 13. Even if you apply for custody, if your child is over 13 and chooses to stay with your spouse, all your efforts will likely go in vain.

What is a NGOs?

NGOs That Provide Free Family Law Legal Advice. Family law is the branch of law that deals with questions of custody. There are plenty of free legal aid cells and NGOs that specialize in providing help and information related to custody to parents who do not have the requisite income to hire a lawyer.

How does legal aid work?

Legal aid organizations do great work by providing legal support to those from low-income backgrounds. The organizations understand that the relationship between a child and a parent is a special one, and seek to reunite the child with their parent, even if the parent in question does not have money to pay for legal services. They are effective in doing so in most cases as they specialize in custody law. If you are looking for representation in your custody case, you can approach a legal aid cell in your vicinity and see if they have a lawyer who is willing to represent you.

Why is legal representation important for mothers?

Legal representation is even more important for those mothers who do not have an income – because a lack of income can be demonstrated as a point as to why you should not retain custody. Hence, hiring a lawyer can benefit you in the following ways.

What does "custody" mean?

Custody according to the Thesaurus meaning means safekeeping, protection, and guardianship. The legal meaning of the term custody is not very far from this description either – it means to place the child with a guardian, usually, until the child becomes a legal major, or until emancipation.

What happens if you can't afford a lawyer?

In a criminal proceeding, if you can't afford legal assistance, a court will appoint an attorney for you. In a civil case, generally described as a dispute between two private parties, to get legal representation, you have to get creative. Here's how to find legal help if you can't afford a lawyer:

What is legal aid?

Legal aid societies are nonprofit organizations found in almost every corner of the country that provide free legal services to low-income people. While this is certainly worth exploring, the problem for many households is that the individual or couple makes too much money to qualify for help.

What time does the Akron Bar Association answer legal questions?

The Akron Bar Association, in Akron, Ohio, is an example of what's out there. You can call the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 9 to 11 a.m., as part of their Ask an Attorney Service, and they'll answer legal questions for free.

Can a lawyer represent you on contingency?

It's risky for lawyers to take cases on contingency, and they need to be confident a judge or jury will side with you, and that there's going to be something sizable awarded to you. While no legal expert will suggest you represent yourself, it is an option if you're in a financial bind.

Can you go to small claims court after divorce?

For instance, you can't go to small claims court if you're trying to work out your financial affairs after a divorce. But if the stakes are fairly low where someone owes you money or is trying to collect money from you, and it isn't worth risking lawyer fees, you might consider small claims court.

Do attorneys give discounts?

An attorney might give you a discount. Also, many attorneys offer payment plans, so that you're paying monthly instead of one huge sum all at once. Of course, you could hit the jackpot and find a pro bono lawyer, or you might find someone willing to take your case on contingency.