It documents the living situation
You state the child's name, the child's address (your address), your relationship, and that you are the adult the child lives with. Schools and clinics need something in writing; this is the something.
MFGP Hub · Caregiver Guide
Caregiver authorization affidavit: enrolling a child in school and approving medical care
When a child moves in with a grandparent, aunt, older sibling, or family friend, the first two walls are almost always the same: the school wants proof of authority and the clinic wants a consent signature. A caregiver authorization affidavit is the short, sworn form that gets most families past both walls without going to court.
This is general information, not legal advice. The form's name, who may sign it, how long it lasts, and whether it must be notarized all vary by state. Confirm your state's version with a legal aid office, a self-help court center, or your kinship navigator program before you rely on it.
For professionals
This is the fastest unblock for informal kinship placements. Pair it with the district's foster/homeless liaison so enrollment happens the same week rather than after a custody hearing.
For supporters
Many relative caregivers have never heard this form exists and assume they need a lawyer and a court date. Sharing this page is often the whole intervention.
What the affidavit is
It is a one- or two-page sworn statement saying that a child lives with you and that you are the adult responsible for day-to-day decisions. In most states you sign it yourself — no judge, no filing fee, and in many states no parent signature required for the school-only version.
It transfers day-to-day authority, not custody
The parent keeps their parental rights. Nothing is taken away from anyone. The form simply lets the adult in the house sign the papers that daily life requires.
It is temporary and revocable
It generally ends when the child stops living with you, when the parent revokes it, or after a set period defined by state law. If the arrangement becomes long-term, guardianship gives you sturdier footing.
I spent years trying to find Anyé the resources she needed, and I kept hitting the same walls. Nobody handed me a list. That is why the MFGP Hub exists — so the next caregiver does not have to start from zero.
What it does and does not unlock
Two versions usually exist: a school-only version, and a fuller school-plus-medical version that often requires a parent's signature. Ask for the one that matches your need.
| Usually yes | Usually no |
|---|---|
| Enroll the child in the local public school | Consent to surgery or non-routine treatment (varies) |
| Access grades, records, and parent-teacher meetings | Receive the parent's child support or benefits |
| Consent to routine medical and dental care (fuller version) | Move the child out of state permanently |
| Consent to school-related medical care and immunizations | Change the child's legal name |
| Sign field trip, sports, and after-school forms | Override a court's custody or visitation order |
| Register for school meals, transport, and tutoring | Serve as proof of guardianship in a court case |
How to get one and use it
1. Find your state's official form
Search "[your state] caregiver authorization affidavit" or "[your state] caregiver affidavit school enrollment." Prefer a court, state education agency, or legal aid website over a paid form site — the official version is almost always free.
2. Check whether a parent must sign
School-only versions are frequently caregiver-signed alone. Medical-consent versions more often require the parent. If the parent is incarcerated, mail the form with a stamped return envelope and clear instructions; facility notary access varies, so ask the facility's counselor.
3. Notarize if your state requires it
Many banks, credit unions, libraries, and shipping stores notarize for free or a few dollars. Bring photo ID and do not sign until you are in front of the notary.
4. Make copies before you hand it over
Give copies — not the original — to the school office, the pediatrician, the dentist, and the after-school program. Keep the original in your paperwork folder with the birth certificate and immunization record.
5. If the school still refuses
Ask by name for the district's foster care liaison or homeless liaison. Federal rules protect enrollment for children in unstable housing situations, and these staff members handle exactly this scenario. Put your request in writing and keep a copy.
6. Revisit in six months
If the child is still with you, ask a kinship navigator or legal aid office whether guardianship makes sense. Affidavits get questioned; a court order does not.
If a school in California still says no
This is usually a front-desk knowledge gap, not a legal problem. Work up the ladder in this order and keep everything in writing.
1. Bring the statutory form, not a homemade letter
Use the affidavit language from Family Code 6552 or the version your county office of education or a California legal aid office publishes. Front offices accept a form that looks like the form they were trained on.
2. Ask for the district's foster care liaison or homeless liaison
Every California district has both. They handle immediate enrollment for children in unstable living situations and they know the affidavit exists. Ask by title.
3. Escalate to the county office of education
County offices field enrollment disputes and can call a district directly. Put your request in email so there is a dated record.
4. Call a legal aid office or the state kinship navigator
California legal aid organizations handle school-enrollment refusals routinely, usually at no cost. Our kinship navigator guide walks through how to reach yours.
How other states name and handle it
The document exists almost everywhere, under different names and with different limits. These are the search terms to start with, not legal conclusions — confirm the current rules with a legal aid office or self-help court center in that state.
| State | What to search for and what to check |
|---|---|
| California | "Caregiver's authorization affidavit" (Family Code 6550–6552). No notarization; qualified relatives get medical consent as well as school authority. |
| Texas | "Authorization agreement for nonparent relative" or "authorization agreement for voluntary caregiver." Generally requires the parent's signature and notarization; check who qualifies as a relative. |
| Ohio | "Caretaker authorization affidavit." Grandparent-focused, notarized, and filed with the juvenile court in the county where the caretaker lives — check the filing step. |
| Florida | "Power of attorney for care of a minor child" or "concurrent custody" for relatives. Check whether your situation calls for the court route instead. |
| North Carolina | "Consent to medical treatment of a minor" plus the school's residency and domicile affidavit. Check the school's enrollment packet first — districts differ. |
| Washington | "Kinship caregiver authorization" and "affidavit of school enrollment." Check whether your school district accepts a caregiver affidavit or wants a parent authorization. |
The same form, different names
If a search for one phrase turns up nothing, try the others — states label this form very differently.
- Caregiver's authorization affidavit
- Caregiver affidavit or caregiver consent form
- Authorization agreement for nonparent relative or voluntary caregiver
- Educational consent form or affidavit of school enrollment
- Guardianship authorization affidavit
- Power of attorney for the care of a minor child (a related but usually broader document)
Questions families ask
What is a caregiver authorization affidavit?
It is a sworn one- or two-page form stating that a child lives with you and that you are the adult handling day-to-day decisions. Relatives and close family friends use it to enroll a child in school and, in the fuller version, to consent to routine medical care — without going to court and without the parent losing any rights.
How do I fill out a caregiver authorization affidavit?
Use your state's official form. You will list the child's full name and date of birth, your name and address, your relationship to the child, and the date the child began living with you. Sign only in front of a notary if your state requires notarization, then give copies to the school, clinic, and any after-school program.
Does the parent have to sign it?
It depends on your state and on which version you use. School-enrollment versions are often valid with only the caregiver's signature. Medical-consent versions more commonly require a parent's signature. If the parent is incarcerated, ask the facility counselor about mail and notary access.
Does a California caregiver's authorization affidavit have to be notarized?
No. California does not require notarization and there is no court filing or fee. You complete the affidavit described in Family Code sections 6550 through 6552, sign it, and give copies to the school and to any medical or dental provider.
Can I enroll a child in a California school without custody?
Yes. If the child lives in your home, a completed caregiver's authorization affidavit lets you enroll the child and consent to school-related medical care, even without custody or a court order. If the front office refuses, ask by title for the district's foster care liaison or homeless liaison.
Who counts as a qualified relative in California?
Family Code 6550 lists them — grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, step-parents, and other named relatives. A qualified relative who signs the affidavit may also authorize routine medical and dental care, not just school matters. A non-relative caregiver's authority is limited to school and school-related medical care.
Is a caregiver affidavit the same as guardianship?
No. An affidavit is a temporary, revocable statement that lets you handle everyday matters. Guardianship is a court order granting legal decision-making authority. If the child will be with you long term, or if anyone disputes your authority, guardianship is the sturdier option — legal aid can often help you file at low or no cost.
Sources you can check yourself
Other guides
Kinship Care Navigator
A plain-language guide to kinship care: what it is, how to find your state kinship navigator program, what benefits relative caregivers can ask about, and where to get support.
Read →Find Your Kinship Navigator
What a kinship navigator program does, how to find your state's program, exactly what to ask for on the first call, and what to do when the program has a waitlist or does not exist near you.
Read →Preparing for a Prison Visit
How to prepare a child for visiting an incarcerated parent: getting approved, typical visitation dress codes and rules, what to bring, and how to handle the ride home.
Read →