Kinship Care vs Foster Care in New Brunswick: Requirements, Differences, and How to Choose

When a child in New Brunswick cannot safely remain at home, the Department of Social Development (DSD) does not automatically place them with strangers. The Child and Youth Well-Being Act — proclaimed January 26, 2024 — explicitly requires DSD to prefer "the least intrusive" intervention, which in practice means checking whether a relative or trusted adult can step in before opening a traditional foster file.

That preference has a name: kinship care. But kinship care and traditional foster care are not interchangeable paths. They differ in eligibility, financial support, training obligations, and the legal relationship between the caregiver and DSD. If you are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or family friend who has been asked to take a child in — or if you are weighing which route to pursue — here is what you actually need to know.

What Is Kinship Care in New Brunswick?

Kinship care (called "placement with kin" under the Act) is when DSD places a child with a relative or "fictive kin" — a person who has a close, established relationship with the child but is not a blood relative. A long-time family friend, a teacher with a deep bond, or a neighbour the child trusts can all qualify as fictive kin.

Under the 2024 Child and Youth Well-Being Act, DSD considers kinship placements before traditional foster placements whenever safety allows. The specific placement decision depends on the child's circumstances and safety needs. This is a shift from the previous Family Services Act framework, which did not embed this hierarchy as strongly.

Kinship care in New Brunswick can be voluntary (the family agrees to the arrangement) or part of a formal court-ordered placement. The level of DSD involvement and the financial support attached to the placement can vary significantly depending on whether the placement is formal or informal.

What Are the Requirements for Kinship Care in NB?

Kinship caregivers do not face an identical approval process to traditional foster parents, but the safety checks still apply. DSD will require:

• Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) for all adults (19+) in the home, conducted by the RCMP or local police
• DSD Social Development Record Check — an internal search of DSD's own records for any history of child protection involvement, abuse, or neglect investigations
• Medical clearance for all adults in the household
• Physical home assessment to confirm the home meets basic safety standards under the Child and Youth Social Services Regulation (2024-6)

The bedroom requirements are the same: minimum 7.4 square metres for one child, walls extending floor to ceiling, a functioning egress window, and the child's own bed. If you have a pool, it must be enclosed by a fence at least 1.52 metres high with a self-latching gate.

The training process for kinship caregivers may differ from the standard 27-hour PRIDE pathway, particularly in an emergency. Ask DSD what training is required before or after placement, and participate in available supports.

How Is the Financial Support Different?

This is where many kinship caregivers are caught off guard. Financial support for kinship placements in New Brunswick depends on the formal arrangement with DSD. Ask DSD which rates and supports apply.

Traditional foster parents receive a daily per diem set by DSD, estimated at approximately $22–$44 depending on the child's age and needs and the current rate schedule, with enhanced rates available through the Special Needs Assessment (SNA) process. They also have access to supplemental allowances for clothing, recreation, dental (Healthy Smiles), and vision (Clear Vision).

Kinship caregivers in a formal DSD-approved placement may be eligible for supports, but caregivers in informal arrangements do not have a DSD funding arrangement unless they pursue a formal agreement. If DSD has not formally placed the child with you, ask what provincial supports and authority are available in your circumstances.

If you are a grandparent or relative who has informally taken in a child, the first call you should make is to your regional DSD office to understand whether a formal kinship placement agreement can be established. Ask separately about the per diem, supplemental allowances, and other supports that may apply. Children in care are covered by NB Medicare, but health coverage is not itself a substitute for a formal DSD arrangement.

Traditional Foster Care: What's Different?

Traditional foster parents go through the full application and licensing process. This means the complete PRIDE pre-service training (27 hours, available in English and French), the full home study under the SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) methodology, and formal licensing under the Child and Youth Well-Being Act.

The process takes six to twelve months from inquiry to approval. Once licensed, a foster parent is matched with children through DSD Placement Coordinators and can specify preferences around age range, number of children, and types of needs they are equipped to support.

Traditional foster parents also have a clearer formal role in the Care Team, receive ongoing training, and are eligible for the FAST (Foster Assistance and Support Teams) program run by the New Brunswick Foster Family Association (NBFFA). The FAST program connects foster parents with experienced mentors and peer support — a resource kinship caregivers can sometimes access as well but may not know about.

Can Kinship Caregivers Transition to Foster Parents?

Yes, and it is relatively common. A relative who starts as a kinship caregiver may eventually pursue full foster parent licensing, particularly if the child's situation indicates a longer-term placement is needed. This also positions the caregiver for the foster-to-adopt pathway if the child becomes legally free for adoption.

If adoption is a possible outcome, working with a formal DSD agreement from the start — rather than an informal family arrangement — is important. A child's permanency plan must be in place within a DSD file for the adoption pathway to be accessible.

Which Path Is Right for You?

If you are a relative or close family friend who has been called by DSD or by the family themselves, start by contacting your regional DSD office immediately. Ask them directly: "Can this be established as a formal kinship placement?" The answer determines your financial and legal standing.

If you have no prior connection to a specific child but want to open your home to children in need, traditional foster care is the structured path for you. The application is substantial but the support infrastructure — training, per diems, peer networks — is more established.

The New Brunswick Foster Care Guide walks through both paths in detail, including the documentation required for kinship caregivers, how the DSD record check works for relatives, and how to navigate the financial support system regardless of which route you take.

Regional DSD Contacts for Kinship and Foster Enquiries

Whether you are navigating kinship placement informally or beginning the full foster parent application, understanding the difference between these two paths is the first step to making sure the child — and your household — is set up for success.

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