- Money depends on whether the child is in CAS care: kinship service offers start-up and episodic funding only, while a placement in care can pay up to the foster rate.
- Ontario Works Temporary Care Assistance can pay $274 a month for a first child and $224 for each additional child, if the criteria are met.
- The Canada Child Benefit can be received by someone caring for a child under a kinship or close relationship program, as long as the Children's Special Allowance is not payable.
- The Ontario Child Benefit pays up to $1,760 per child each year to eligible families and is assessed automatically.
If you are a grandparent or other relative who has taken in a child, the costs arrive quickly: beds, clothing, school items, and a higher grocery bill. Several programs may help, but each has its own rules and some cannot be combined.
This article walks through the main options in Ontario. Amounts and rules change, so confirm figures with the program before you rely on them, and speak with a lawyer or advisor if your situation is complicated.
First question: is the child in CAS care?
Most of the answers depend on this. A child who is in a society's formal care is in kinship care. A child who is not in formal care is in kinship service. The two models carry different funding rules, so ask the caseworker which applies to you.
If the child is not in CAS care, the relative or community member must be approved by the society to offer kinship service.
Funding through the children's aid society
| Situation | What is available |
|---|---|
| Kinship service (child not in society care) | Start-up funding of up to $1,000 for each new kinship service family, and episodic funding of up to $1,000 annually for each child; no ongoing subsidy. |
| Child in society care, placed with kin as a place of safety | Payments not to exceed the regular foster care rate, about $900 a month. |
| Approved as a kinship foster home | Foster per diem rates. |
| Customary care of a First Nations, Inuk or Métis child | Ongoing subsidy equal to foster care per diem rates and one-time funding of up to $6,000 per child, if the home meets foster care licensing standards. |
Start-up funding can cover things such as furniture and home modifications, and episodic funding can cover personal, educational, recreational and health needs. You apply by discussing it with your CAS caseworker. Anything the society spends beyond these amounts is at its discretion within its existing funding.
Ontario Works Temporary Care Assistance
Temporary Care Assistance (TCA) can be paid to an adult caring for a child who is in financial need and is not a dependent child for Ontario Works or ODSP, when no parent can care for the child. The caregiver must have no legal duty to support the child and must not be paid for the care under the child protection law. Children in CAS care, adopted children and children under a section 116 custody order are generally not eligible.
Monthly rates are $274 for the first child and $224 for each additional child, or $440 and $326 north of the 50th parallel without year-round road access. The child's assets are limited to $500, Form 2212 (Declaration of Support and Maintenance) must be on file, and cases are reviewed at least every 24 months.
A child placed with kin but not in CAS care may be eligible if the criteria are met, and CAS emergency or episodic help, such as car seats or safety repairs, is not counted as income for social assistance.
Child benefits
To get the Canada Child Benefit (CCB), you must live with and care for a child under 18 and be primarily responsible for their care and upbringing. A person caring for a child under a federal, provincial or territorial, or Indigenous kinship or close relationship program can receive the CCB, as long as the Children's Special Allowance is not payable for that child. A CCB cannot be received for a foster child for any month when that allowance is payable.
The Ontario Child Benefit pays up to $1,760 per child each year to low- to moderate-income families. There is no separate application: families are assessed automatically through their CCB application and annual tax return. Whether a particular kinship caregiver qualifies depends on the facts, so confirm with the Canada Revenue Agency.
What to do next
- Ask the caseworker whether the child is in kinship service or kinship care and what funding applies.
- Ask about start-up and episodic funding before you buy large items, and keep receipts.
- Contact your Ontario Works office about Temporary Care Assistance and have Form 2212 ready.
- Apply for the Canada Child Benefit and file your tax return so the Ontario Child Benefit can be assessed.
- Keep records of when the child came to live with you and who is responsible for them.
- Confirm current rates with each program, as they can change.
If there is a dispute about who should have custody, or you are unsure whether a payment could affect your legal position, a family lawyer can explain how the pieces fit together.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get ongoing monthly payments if the child is not in CAS care?
The CAS kinship service guidelines list no ongoing subsidy, only start-up funding of up to $1,000 and episodic funding of up to $1,000 a year per child. Temporary Care Assistance through Ontario Works may be an option if the criteria are met.
Can I get both Temporary Care Assistance and CAS payments?
How this applies depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with your caseworker and your Ontario Works office. Temporary Care Assistance is for a caregiver who is not paid for the care under the child protection law, and children in CAS care are generally not eligible. CAS emergency or episodic help, such as car seats or safety repairs, is not counted as income for social assistance.
How do I apply for CAS funding?
You discuss it with your CAS caseworker, and the caregiver must be approved by the society to offer kinship service.
Do I need to apply separately for the Ontario Child Benefit?
No. Families are assessed automatically through the Canada Child Benefit application and annual tax return. That means the CCB application and your tax filing matter.
Sources
- Policy Directive CW 004-06: Kinship Service Standards Directive — ontario.ca
- 2023 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines — ontario.ca
- Funding for caregivers of children in need of protection (Ontario.ca) — ontario.ca
- Ontario Works Policy Directives 3.10 Temporary Care Assistance — ontario.ca
- CRA: Canada Child Benefit - Who can apply — canada.ca
- Ontario Child Benefit (Ontario.ca) — ontario.ca
Links go to official government, court and regulator pages. The law changes — confirm you are reading the current version.
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