Kinship Care is temporary or permanent care provided to children by relatives or close family friends (“fictive kin”). Relatives are often the preferred caregivers for children in foster care because they help maintain a child's connection to family, culture, and community — the people and places that matter most.

When a child cannot live safely with their parents, kinship care helps them stay within their extended family, cultural network, or community — supporting stability, belonging, and identity.

A family-first approach

Under the Child and Youth Well-Being Act, when the Minister determines that a child’s well-being is in danger but a plan is established that does not include placing the child under the Minister’s full care, the child may receive kinship services in the home of an approved kinship caregiver.

If the caregiver is found capable of providing for the child or youth in a safe and stable environment, and in accordance with established standards, the Minister may enter into an agreement with the caregiver. This agreement can provide financial or practical support when needed to meet the basic or exceptional needs of the child or youth.

This family-based model reflects the Act’s core value: children have a right to remain connected to their family and community whenever possible.

The Kinship Care Model

Kinship care is grounded in a child’s need and right to connection.

When a child or youth must be removed from their parental home, a kinship provider — who already has a trusted relationship with the child — is often a more stable and less disruptive option than placement with someone unknown to them.

The Department of Social Development is committed to designing services that set kinship caregivers up for success, ensuring children and youth have the best chance to thrive within the safety of their family or community network.

Who can be a kinship caregiver?

Kinship caregivers can include:

• Relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings, or cousins.

• Fictive kin, meaning adults who share a significant and positive connection with the child or youth — such as a family friend, teacher, neighbour, or coach.
  
  

What matters most is the existing relationship and the caregiver’s ability to provide a safe, loving, and supportive home that meets the child’s physical and emotional needs.