Understanding Alberta Foster Care Per Diem Rates and Financial Support
Alberta foster parents receive a daily per diem called the "basic maintenance rate" — and the most-searched question about fostering in the province is: what does this actually work out to in dollars per month? The short answer: approximately $780 to $1,170 per month for a school-aged child, depending on age, rising to higher amounts for teenagers and for children with specialized care needs. The April 2026 rate increases (2%) are already in effect.
The Alberta Foster Care Guide translates the government's Caregiver Rate Schedule PDF into plain monthly amounts by child age and care level — the format that actually answers the "what lands in my bank account?" question that every prospective foster parent is asking. This post gives you the framework. The Guide gives you the full tables.
Why This Question Is So Hard to Answer from Official Sources
Alberta Children's Services publishes a document called the Caregiver Rate Schedule. It is a multi-column PDF with rows for age bands, columns for care levels (Basic Maintenance, Specialized Level 1, Specialized Level 2, Specialized Level 3), and footnotes about supplementary supports. For someone trying to understand whether fostering is financially viable for their family, it is nearly impossible to read without a background in social service accounting.
This is why "how much do foster parents get paid in Alberta" is one of the most-searched questions related to fostering in the province — and why Reddit and Facebook groups are full of conflicting, outdated, or jurisdiction-confused answers. The official resource exists; it just doesn't communicate in the way that prospective parents need.
Basic Maintenance Rates: The Core Per Diem
The basic maintenance rate is the foundational payment all licensed foster caregivers receive. It is intended to cover the cost of food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and general care for the child. It is not intended to compensate the foster parent for their time.
Alberta sets rates by age band, with the 2% increase effective April 1, 2026 already reflected.
| Child Age Band | Approximate Daily Rate | Approximate Monthly Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 0–4 years (preschool) | ~$26/day | ~$780–$800/month |
| 5–11 years (school age) | ~$28–$30/day | ~$850–$900/month |
| 12–14 years (early teen) | ~$33/day | ~$990–$1,000/month |
| 15–17 years (teenager) | ~$38–$39/day | ~$1,140–$1,170/month |
These are approximate figures reflecting the basic maintenance tier. Exact current figures are published in the government's Caregiver Rate Schedule and are included in the Alberta Foster Care Guide with the April 2026 updates applied.
Important clarifications about these numbers
These are cost-of-care payments, not income. The per diem is designed to reimburse the actual cost of raising a child — food, housing allocation, transportation, clothing, activities. Most foster families find that the per diem roughly covers direct costs, with some variation depending on the child's needs and the family's cost of living.
Monthly amounts vary slightly by month length. A 31-day month produces a higher total than a 28-day month. The numbers above are based on a standard 30-day month.
Payments are typically made monthly in Alberta, with amounts calculated based on the number of days of care provided in the billing period. If a child is placed on day 15 of the month, you receive a prorated amount for that month.
Specialized Care Levels: When Rates Are Higher
Children in Alberta's care system are placed at different care levels based on their needs assessment. Children with higher support needs are placed at Specialized Level 1, 2, or 3, with correspondingly higher per diem rates.
| Care Level | General Description | Rate vs Basic Maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Maintenance | Standard fostering | Base rate (as above) |
| Specialized Level 1 | Moderate additional support needs | Significantly higher — varies by assessment |
| Specialized Level 2 | High support needs, behavioral or medical | Higher than Level 1 |
| Specialized Level 3 | Intensive therapeutic care needs | Highest tier |
Prospective foster parents do not choose which level to receive — the level is assigned based on the child's needs assessment conducted by Children's Services. You will know before a placement is made what level applies. Specialized placements require additional training and readiness, and not all licensed caregivers are immediately approved for higher levels.
The Alberta Foster Care Guide includes the full rate table across all four levels and all age bands, including the April 2026 figures.
Free Download
Get the Alberta Foster Care Quick-Start Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
Additional Financial Supports
The per diem is the core payment, but it is not the only financial support available to Alberta foster parents. Several supplementary programs exist, though they are not always well-publicized.
Respite care funding
All licensed foster parents are entitled to a certain number of respite days per year — time when another approved caregiver takes the child so you can rest. The funding mechanism for respite varies: in some cases you receive a payment to arrange your own respite care; in others, CFS arranges a respite provider directly. Your intake worker can clarify how respite is administered in your region.
Clothing and personal items allowance
Children entering foster care may arrive with very few personal belongings. An initial clothing and supplies allowance is typically available for new placements to cover immediate needs. This is a one-time supplement per placement, not a recurring monthly amount.
School supplies and extracurricular activities
Some regions and agencies provide additional funding for school supplies at the start of each academic year and for participation in extracurricular activities. These programs vary by agency and are worth asking about during your intake process.
Mileage reimbursement
Foster parents are typically eligible for mileage reimbursement for driving foster children to appointments — medical, legal, visitation with birth family. The rate is set by Alberta Children's Services and is separate from the per diem. For families in rural areas or with children who have frequent appointments, this can be a meaningful supplement.
Kinship caregivers
If you are a kinship caregiver — a relative, family friend, or other connected person caring for a child informally — formalizing your arrangement through the kinship program unlocks access to the same basic maintenance per diem as licensed foster families, plus respite funding and case management support. Many kinship caregivers are providing care without these supports because they are unaware that formalization is an option. The Alberta Foster Care Guide covers the kinship formalization process step by step.
The April 2026 Rate Increase: What Changed
Alberta announced a 2% increase in caregiver rates effective April 1, 2026. This applied across all age bands and all care levels — basic maintenance through Specialized Level 3. The increase was announced by the province as part of an ongoing commitment to caregiver recruitment and retention.
For a teenager at the basic maintenance level, this means approximately an additional $0.75 per day, or roughly $23 per month. At specialized levels, the increase is proportionally larger in absolute dollar terms.
CTV News reported on the increase in early 2026, noting that the province framed it as a response to caregiver recruitment shortfalls and the approximately 10,000 children currently in care in Alberta. The Alberta Foster Care Guide was updated to reflect the new rates as of the increase date.
Is the Per Diem Enough to Foster Without Additional Household Income?
This is the most honest question, and it deserves a direct answer: for most families, the basic maintenance per diem is not designed to be a primary income source. It is designed to cover the direct costs of caring for a child. Whether it does that fully depends on:
- The age and care level of the child placed
- Your household's cost of living (Calgary vs rural Alberta differs significantly)
- Whether both caregivers work outside the home or one is a full-time at-home caregiver
- The child's specific needs and associated expenses
Many foster families report that the per diem closely tracks their actual out-of-pocket costs for the child's care, leaving household expenses otherwise unchanged. Families who foster at Specialized Levels typically receive rates that more substantially offset the additional demands of care.
The financial picture is not the whole story of fostering — but it is a legitimate factor in a family's decision, and pretending otherwise serves no one.
Who This Is For
- Prospective foster parents trying to understand the financial reality before committing to the application process
- Kinship caregivers providing informal care without per diem access, trying to understand whether formalization is worth pursuing
- Families weighing whether one partner could reduce work hours while fostering
- Anyone who has found the government Caregiver Rate Schedule PDF impossible to parse
- Current foster parents trying to understand the April 2026 rate changes and what they mean for their monthly payments
Who This Is NOT For
- Families whose primary motivation is financial — fostering is not a revenue-generating activity at the basic maintenance level
- Applicants looking for the specialized care rate tables for specific conditions — your intake worker is the right source, as placements are made on individual assessment
- Anyone looking for information about adoption subsidies — adoption financial supports are governed by different rules than foster care per diems
Tradeoffs: What the Per Diem Covers and What It Doesn't
What the per diem is designed to cover:
- Food, including age-appropriate nutrition for growing children and teenagers
- A share of household housing costs allocated to the foster child's space
- Clothing and personal care items
- Basic transportation and local activities
- Some portion of utility costs
What it typically does not cover fully:
- Your time and emotional labor
- Emergency expenses outside the normal cost of care
- Medical costs for treatments not covered by the child's AHCIP coverage (most medical costs are covered through provincial health care, but there are exceptions)
- High-cost extracurricular activities beyond what supplementary program funding covers
The honest bottom line: Foster parents who approach the financial decision with accurate information are better positioned to sustain their commitment long-term. The Alberta Foster Care Guide lays out the full picture — per diems, supplements, mileage, kinship access, and what questions to ask your intake worker about your specific region and agency — so that your decision is made with clear expectations rather than guesses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do foster parents receive payment in Alberta?
Payments are made monthly by direct deposit to the foster parent's bank account. The amount is calculated based on the per diem rate for the child's age and care level, multiplied by the number of days of care provided in the billing period. Your intake worker will provide payment processing information at the start of a placement.
Are foster care payments taxable income in Canada?
Foster care payments are generally not considered taxable income in Canada, as they are reimbursements for the cost of caring for a child rather than employment income. This is a common question and the answer is consistently confirmed by the Canada Revenue Agency guidance on "foster parent payments." For your specific situation, confirm with a tax professional, as there are edge cases related to higher-level specialized care arrangements.
What happens to payments during respite periods?
When a child is in respite care (temporarily placed with another caregiver), payments to the primary foster family are typically paused for those days and transferred to the respite provider. Your intake worker will clarify the specific payment arrangement for your situation.
Can I negotiate the care level assigned to a child?
No. Care levels are assigned by Children's Services based on the child's needs assessment. You can discuss your household's capacity and experience with your intake worker, which may influence which placements are offered to you — but the care level is set by the child's assessed needs, not by caregiver preference.
I'm currently providing kinship care without being formally licensed. Am I eligible for the per diem?
Potentially yes, once your care is formalized. Kinship caregivers who formalize their arrangement through the provincial kinship care program access the same basic maintenance per diem as licensed foster families. The Alberta Foster Care Guide covers the kinship formalization steps and what to expect from the process.
Does the per diem change if a child's needs increase while in my care?
Yes. If a child's care level is reassessed upward — because their needs have increased — the per diem rate adjusts accordingly. Reassessments are initiated by Children's Services and typically involve input from you as the caregiver, the child's worker, and any involved professionals.
Get Your Free Alberta Foster Care Quick-Start Checklist
Download the Alberta Foster Care Quick-Start Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.