Relatives Raising Children: Federal Support Helps, but Challenges Persist

This GAO report examines the experiences of kinship families—children raised by grandparents, relatives, or close family friends—following the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how rising costs, mental health challenges, and limited access to resources have intensified pressures on caregivers, particularly those outside the foster care system. The report also explores disparities in support across states, counties, and Tribal communities, and outlines how federal programs currently assist these families. Together, it provides a clearer view of where policy gaps remain and how caregiving realities have evolved.