An issue has been raised concerning the application of the assistance planning provisions when a person other than a parent is the caretaker relative of an TANF child and the parent enters the home. The discussion focused on TANF cases where the grandmother is the primary caretaker of her grandchild, but the child's mother returns to the home to live (usually on a temporary basis).

Assistance planning concepts require that the child and the child's parent must be included in the same assistance plan except as specifically provided in 4113. In discussing this matter with OFA Regional Office staff, it was decided that while the child and the child's parent must be included in the assistance plan, there is no provision that precludes the agency from including the actual caretaker relative if such relative has day-to-day responsibility for the care and control of the child.

In view of the above interpretation it is permissible to have an TANF assistance plan consisting of the caretaker relative (grandmother), parent and child. In addition, the assistance payment should be made to the actual caretaker relative of the child. This would eliminate some of the problems that were mentioned where the parent was being made payee and upon receipt of the benefit, leaving the home.

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