There are times when parents need to give family members temporary authority to make decisions on behalf of their children. Sometimes this is only for a few days when the parent is out of town. Other times it can be for months while the parent is in the military, incarcerated, in treatment, or otherwise unavailable to provide care.

The "Temporary Authorization for Kinship Care" kit contains the legal papers and instructions needed for a parent to give most (or just a few) of the parent's powers to a family member. Under Michigan law, the authorization lasts up to six months unless renewed or cancelled. Under a change in the law, if the parent is deployed abroad in the military, it will be effective until the parent returns.

To download a free electronic copy of the kit go to the client resource library at Michigan Legal Aid. Type in "kinship care" in the search box.The kit may be printed and copied for distribution. Organizations can arrange to receive printed booklets from the Kinship Care Resource Center at Michigan State University by calling 1-800-535-1218.