In Richmond County and the surrounding rural communities, there are approximately 12,800 grandparent headed households. Of that number, approximately 7200 of those grandparents are solely responsible for the financial, social, and personal care of the grandchild. There are also a number of other persons who are caring for the minor children of relatives.

Sometimes these relative caregivers need to petition for custody, guardianship, or adoption for various reasons, including the need to provide a stable home for the child as well as the need for the relative caregivers to have the legal authority to enroll the child in school, to seek medical treatment for a child, and to obtain financial resources for the child.

The Augusta Regional Office of the Georgia Legal Services Program, which provides free legal representation and advice to low income persons, has initiated a Kinship Care Project. This project will assist relative caregivers to obtain custody, guardianship, or an adoption of the relative minor child. The Augusta Office will also assist the relative caregiver in obtaining financial resources for the child.

Families residing in Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, and Wilkes counties may contact the Augusta office at 706-721-2327 or 1-800-248-6697. Staff members of the Augusta office are available to make presentations at meetings civic organizations, church groups, community organizations, or other meetings.