Page 22

201.5 TANF MANUAL 10/23 Page 3

The primary source for verification of living arrangements for children who attend school, including nursery schools, pre-schools, or child care centers, is the school record which shows the name of the child, the name of the relative the child lives with and the address where they reside. For pre-school age children who are not in nursery school, pre-school, child care, etc. the following documents can be used to verify living arrangements as long as the documents are current and contain the child’s name, the relative’s name, and their residence address: hospital or physician’s record, court or public agency record, military record or the Newborn Summary for newborns added by Baby BOT. (These records may also be used as secondary sources of verification for children attending school or primary verification for children who are home schooled.) If these documents are not available, the worker can verify living arrangements for a pre-school age child through contact with the landlord, public housing authority, or a friend or family member who can attest to the living arrangements. In all cases, the case record must be documented to reflect the verification obtained. Client statement cannot be used to meet the verification requirement.

Note: While VIIS is a public agency record, it cannot be used to verify living arrangements as there is no requirement to update the child’s address in the VIIS system.

If verification cannot be obtained from one of the sources listed above, the case record must be documented to reflect all the attempts that were made to secure verifications from primary or secondary sources. The case record must also contain documentation of all evidence obtained by the worker that substantiates the child’s presence in the home.

If the agency is unable to verify the child’s presence in the home, and the applicant/recipient continues to maintain that the child lives in the home, the agency must evaluate any evidence provided by the individual before taking action to exclude the child.

C. Living with a Relative for Part of Each Month or Year - It is the responsibility of the local department of social services (LDSS) to determine whether a child who is in the home of the applicant/recipient for part of a month or part of a year should be included as a member of the TANF assistance unit. The child must actually live in the home, not simply be in the home temporarily for a few days a week, or for a weekend, or for a vacation, in order to meet the “living with” requirement.

The “living with” determination will require an evaluation of both the child’s presence in the home and the parent’s responsibility for the child while in the home and may include information about

• the child’s entry into the applicant/recipient’s home;

• the child’s status in the home as a resident or as a visitor;

• the extent of the parental responsibilities the applicant/recipient will exercise on behalf of the child while the child is in the home; and

• the applicant/recipient’s responsibility to maintain a home and meet the basic day- to-day needs of the child for food, shelter, and clothing.

1. Visits and Vacations: A minor child who usually lives with a custodial parent or caretaker relative, and who is visiting the other parent (or other caretaker relative), is considered to be temporarily absent from the home of the custodial parent and does not meet the “living with” requirement in the other home. (Note: the custodial parent may or may not be a current TANF recipient). TANF Transmittal 77