Kinship Care Manitoba: What Relatives Need to Know Before Saying Yes
Kinship Care Manitoba: What Relatives Need to Know Before Saying Yes
A family member calls. A social worker shows up. A child you love needs somewhere to go, and you are the one being asked. For many Manitobans, becoming a caregiver starts not with a deliberate decision to foster but with a phone call that changes everything in an afternoon.
If you are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, older sibling, or family friend who has stepped in — or is being asked to step in — for a child in care, this post explains what kinship care in Manitoba actually involves, what you are entitled to, and what happens next.
What Kinship Care Is in Manitoba
Kinship care refers to a placement where a child lives with a member of their extended family or a person from their community rather than with a stranger. Under the Child and Family Services Act, kinship placement is the preferred option when a child cannot remain with their birth parents. The principle is straightforward: keeping the child connected to people they already know and trust is better for their development and identity than placing them in an unfamiliar home.
In Manitoba, kinship care carries particular significance because approximately 91% of the province's 9,172 children in care are Indigenous. The Child and Family Services Act explicitly requires agencies to prioritize placements that maintain cultural, linguistic, and community connections — and kinship care is the primary vehicle for that.
Kinship caregivers are not automatically licensed foster parents. The distinction matters, and understanding it is essential.
Licensed vs. Unlicensed Kinship Care
Licensed kinship care means the relative or community member has gone through the full foster home licensing process: background checks, SAFE home study, physical inspection, and PRIDE training. A licensed kinship caregiver receives the same maintenance rates as any other licensed foster parent and has access to the same agency supports.
Unlicensed kinship care occurs when a child is placed with a relative on an emergency or informal basis before a full assessment is completed. This often happens quickly when a child enters the system unexpectedly. Unlicensed caregivers typically receive lower financial support or no formal support until they pursue licensing.
If you are currently caring for a child informally and have not been connected to an agency, contacting the relevant CFS authority to start the licensing process is in your interest — both to access financial support and to establish your legal standing as a caregiver.
Kinship Foster Care Requirements in Manitoba
The eligibility requirements for kinship caregivers are the same as for any foster parent:
- At least 18 years of age
- Manitoba resident
- Demonstration of financial self-sufficiency (the per diem is for the child, not to substitute household income)
- Four personal references, including an interview process
- Medical clearance from a physician
- All adults in the household must complete background checks
Background checks required for all adult household members:
- Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) — conducted through RCMP or local police. In Winnipeg, this can be done in person at 777 Portage Avenue or online through the Winnipeg Police Service.
- Child Abuse Registry Check — free of charge for foster home license applicants
- Adult Abuse Registry Check — also free for foster home applicants
The SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) home study is conducted for all foster applicants, including kinship caregivers. It is a psychosocial assessment involving in-home interviews with a social worker. For kinship caregivers who already have a relationship with the child, some parts of the assessment may be streamlined, but the process is not skipped.
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Customary Care Agreements
Customary care is a distinct form of kinship care rooted in Indigenous traditions. It is not a foster placement in the conventional sense — it is a recognized mechanism through which a child's community assumes responsibility for the child's upbringing according to their own laws and customs, without requiring the child to be placed under provincial guardianship.
Under the CFSA, customary care agreements can be used as an alternative to adoption or legal guardianship for Indigenous children. The child's care is governed by the agreement between the community and the caregiver, not by a court order.
The Métis Authority and First Nations authorities have developed specific customary care frameworks. If you are an Indigenous caregiver and the child you are caring for is from your community or nation, ask the relevant authority about whether a customary care agreement applies to your situation — it may provide more culturally appropriate legal protection than a standard foster placement.
Financial Support for Kinship Caregivers
Kinship caregivers who are licensed receive the same maintenance rates as general foster parents. Following a 10% rate increase announced in February 2025 — the first such increase since 2012 — the current basic daily maintenance rates are:
- Children to age 11: $24.32 per day (urban/rural)
- Children aged 12–17: $34.72 per day (urban/rural)
- Higher rates apply in northern and remote areas
These rates cover food, clothing, and basic daily needs for the child. They are not income — they are reimbursements for the actual costs of care. Foster care payments are generally non-taxable under Canada Revenue Agency policy (IT-236R4).
Additional supports include:
- Clothing allowance when a child first enters care, plus ongoing replacement clothing funds
- School supplies supplement of approximately $124 per year
- Special occasions allowances for Christmas and birthdays
- Medical and dental coverage through Manitoba Health and the child's agency
Unlicensed kinship caregivers may have access to limited emergency support through the agency, but this varies and is not guaranteed. Pursuing full licensing is the most reliable path to consistent financial support.
Your Rights as a Kinship Caregiver
Being a kinship caregiver does not mean the agency has full control over your life with the child. You have rights:
- Right to information about the child's Plan of Care, medical history, and needs relevant to providing appropriate care
- Right to participate in planning meetings and contribute to decisions about the child's future
- Right to appeal a licensing decision if your application is denied or your license is not renewed
- Right to request respite care — temporary relief coverage so you can take a break without disrupting the placement
If you believe an agency decision is not in the child's best interests, you can raise this through the agency's complaints process, escalate to the relevant CFS Authority, or contact the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth (MACY).
Permanency Options for Kinship Caregivers
If the child in your care cannot safely return to their birth parents, several permanent options exist:
Long-term licensed foster care: You continue as a licensed foster parent with ongoing agency support and maintenance payments. The child does not have legal permanency, but remains stable in your home.
Legal guardianship: You assume legal responsibility for the child without a full adoption. This can be appropriate when adoption is not desired but ongoing provincial guardianship is not sustainable.
Adoption: Once a child is made a permanent ward of the agency (Crown ward), you may apply to adopt under The Adoption Act. Many kinship caregivers who have cared for a child long-term choose this path. The process is managed through the agency and the courts.
Customary care agreement: As described above, for Indigenous children whose communities have established customary care frameworks.
A Practical First Step
If you are caring for a child now without formal support, or if a social worker has recently been in contact and you are weighing your options, the most useful thing you can do immediately is contact the agency that has care of the child and ask specifically about the kinship licensing process. Ask what steps you need to complete, what timelines look like, and what financial support is available while your application is being processed.
The Manitoba Foster Care Guide covers the full licensing pathway for kinship caregivers, including what to expect from the SAFE home study and how to navigate the four-authority system if the child's cultural background differs from your own.
Key Takeaways
- Kinship care is the preferred placement option under Manitoba's CFSA — it keeps children connected to people they already know
- Licensed kinship caregivers receive the same maintenance rates as general foster parents, including the 2025 rate increase
- Customary care agreements are a distinct mechanism for Indigenous communities to care for children under their own laws
- All adults in a kinship caregiver's household must complete three background checks: VSC, Child Abuse Registry, and Adult Abuse Registry
- Both checks are free of charge for foster home applicants
- Unlicensed kinship caregivers have limited support — pursuing formal licensing gives you financial support, legal standing, and agency backing
- Permanent options range from long-term fostering to legal guardianship to adoption, depending on the child's situation and your goals
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