Kinship Care in Alberta: Requirements, Payments, and How It Differs from Foster Care

When a child in Alberta is removed from their home, the first question Children's Services asks is not "which foster family has availability?" It is "who does this child already know?" That is the principle behind kinship care — the placement of children in care with extended family members or people who already have a meaningful relationship with the child. In Alberta, kinship care is not a secondary option; it is the preferred pathway under provincial policy and federal law.

If a grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, family friend, or neighbour has been identified as a potential kinship caregiver for a child in care, this guide explains what the process involves, what you can expect financially, and how the experience differs from standard foster care.

What Kinship Care Means in Alberta

Kinship care in Alberta refers to the placement of a child in government care with an adult who has a pre-existing relationship with the child. Alberta Children and Family Services uses two categories:

Relative care: Placement with a blood relative — grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or cousin.

Fictive kin: Placement with a non-relative who has a significant, established relationship with the child — a family friend, neighbour, teacher, coach, or community member.

Both types of kinship placement are governed by the same legislation as standard foster care: the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (CYFEA) and the Foster and Kinship Care Regulation. Kinship caregivers are assessed, approved, and licensed under the same provincial framework.

Why Kinship Care Is Prioritised

Alberta's child welfare policy, informed by federal legislation including Bill C-92 (An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families), requires Children's Services to follow a placement hierarchy. When a child must be removed from their birth home, placement priority goes to:

1. Extended family members
2. Members of the child's community or cultural group
3. Other Indigenous families (for Indigenous children)
4. Non-related foster families

This hierarchy is especially significant given that approximately 70% of children in Alberta's care identify as Indigenous. Keeping a child connected to family, community, and culture is both a legal obligation and a developmental priority.

Kinship Care Requirements in Alberta

Kinship caregivers must meet the same baseline eligibility standards as standard foster parents:

• At least 18 years old
• Alberta resident
• Financially stable (the kinship placement allowance is not intended to be the household's primary income)
• In good physical and mental health (physician's report required)
• No criminal record for offences involving children or vulnerable persons (Vulnerable Sector Check required for all adults in the home)
• Willingness to complete the Child Intervention Record Check (CIRC)

The home must also meet the same physical safety standards as a standard foster home: appropriate bedroom space, locked medication and chemical storage, smoke and CO detectors, and compliant firearms storage if applicable.

However, there are some meaningful practical differences in how the assessment process is applied for kinship placements.

Kinship Assessments: Similar Framework, Faster Timeline

Because kinship placements often happen urgently — a child has just been removed and the family has been identified as a placement option within days — Alberta has provisions for expedited kinship assessments.

The full SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) home study is still required, but kinship caregivers may begin a provisional placement while the full assessment is completed, subject to the approval of the caseworker and regional director. This is known as a temporary authorization. Not every kinship placement follows this path, but it is common in emergency situations.

PRIDE pre-service training is also required for kinship caregivers, though some regions allow caregivers to begin the formal placement before completing all modules, provided they are actively enrolled.

If you have been approached about becoming a kinship caregiver for a specific child and want to understand what happens in the first 30 days — including what you can and cannot agree to without formal approval — the Alberta Foster Care Guide covers the kinship-specific pathway in detail.

Kinship Care vs Foster Care: Key Differences

While the legal and financial framework is largely the same, the practical experience of kinship care is often quite different from being a stranger-to-the-child foster parent.

Relationship dynamics: You already know the child and their family. This can be a significant advantage for the child's sense of safety and continuity. It can also create complications. Grandparents caring for grandchildren, for example, are often navigating a relationship with their own adult child — the child's parent — who may be struggling with addiction, mental health issues, or involvement with the justice system. These are painful dynamics that standard foster families do not typically face.

Birth family contact: Kinship caregivers often have closer, more frequent contact with the birth family than standard foster parents do. Managing that contact — and the boundaries around it — while maintaining the child's safety is one of the more complex aspects of kinship care.

Privacy and stigma: When a child is placed with a stranger foster family, the placement is relatively private. When a child is placed with grandparents, aunts, or family friends, the extended family network often knows. Managing community perceptions and family expectations can add an additional layer of stress.

Emotional complexity: Kinship caregivers typically have a deeper emotional investment in both the child and the birth family. The grief and worry are not abstract — this is your grandchild, your nephew, your family.

Kinship Care Payments in Alberta

Kinship caregivers receive the same per diem rates as standard foster parents. The daily payment consists of a Basic Maintenance Rate (for the child's costs) and a Skill Fee (for the caregiver's work). Rates as of April 1, 2025:

Rates are adjusted annually on April 1.

The Kinship Initial Placement Allowance (KIPA)

Alberta provides a Kinship Initial Placement Allowance (KIPA) specifically for kinship caregivers who need to quickly set up their home to receive a child. This one-time allowance helps cover start-up costs such as a bed, bedding, clothing, car seat, and basic household supplies that the caregiver may not already have for a child of that age.

The amount of the KIPA is determined by the child's age and specific needs. To access it, ask the assigned caseworker about the KIPA at the time of placement — it is not automatically initiated, and some caregivers miss out because they do not know to request it.

Additional allowances available to kinship caregivers include the infant allowance ($150/month for ages 0–36 months for formula and diapers), recreation allowance, vacation and camp allowance, and mileage reimbursement at $0.57 per kilometre for child-related travel.

The Alberta Foster and Kinship Association (AFKA)

The Alberta Foster and Kinship Association (AFKA) is the provincial organization that supports foster and kinship caregivers across the province. They offer resources, training, a caregiver helpline, and advocacy on behalf of caregivers. Their website (afkaonline.ca) is one of the most useful non-government resources available.

AFKA also publishes the caregiver entitlements guide and rate schedule updates, which is useful for understanding what you are owed and how to advocate for it if necessary.

Getting Started as a Kinship Caregiver

If you have been identified as a potential kinship caregiver for a child who is already known to Children's Services, the caseworker assigned to the case will typically reach out to you directly and guide you through the assessment initiation process.

If you are a family member who is concerned about a child in your network and wants to proactively position yourself as a kinship option, you can contact your regional Children and Family Services office and express interest. Introducing yourself early — before a crisis — puts you in a stronger position if placement becomes necessary.

Either way, understanding the requirements, the financial support, and the practical realities of kinship care before you say yes will help you commit with clear eyes and a realistic plan.

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