Provision of financial assistance on a frequent basis should trigger the assessment of parents ability to meet the ongoing needs of the child. Essentially, they are the adult that the child lives with. The intent of this program was to enable this group of youth to re-engage with their society to receive services and supports to assist them to achieve improved educational outcomes and transition smoothly to emerging adulthood. Kin placements are a type of family-based care, which is the preferred setting for the majority of children and youth who are unable to remain in their homes. Societies shall provide ongoing (monthly) subsidies to eligible families for each eligible child at $475 per month. (The Annie E. Casey Foundation), Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (HelpGuide), Grandparents raising grandchildren: Social support needed (McMaster), Grandparents raiding grandchildren: Social support needed Full Article (McMaster), Kinship Families: Keeping Kids Connected (OACAS), How kinship families are improving child welfare outcomes for children and families in Ontario (OACAS), Empowering Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. siblings of two or more. The Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines (OPFPG) have been in place since January 26, 2007 and provide a framework for the provision of financial assistance for the purposes of facilitating admission prevention, kinship service, place of safetyfootnote 1[1], customary carefootnote 2[2], legal custodyfootnote 3[3]and adoption options. 9 am 5 pm, Monday to Friday. In considering a request for financial assistance to be provided to an eligible caregiver, the local director or designate will require that the Decision Making Criteria have been met. Customary care families receive the same financial supports provided to foster families. The child is supervised by a society pursuant to the declaration by the band or First Nations, Inuit or Mtis community. Societies are encouraged to work together with local schools, school boards and/or school authorities, through new or existing local protocols, to maximize coordination of educational supports collectively that will assist youth to graduate from high school. Additional financial assistance and service supports have been developed for children and their families, requiring corresponding revisions to the policy guidelines. Crumbley, J., & Little, R.L. The childs safety will be protected and an admission to care will be prevented if the child resides with kin or a community member. Financial assistance provided will not exceed foster care rates. Note: login required; must be a PART member to access, Collection of resources related to enabling greater and wider family involvement in child welfare, https://oacas.libguides.com/family-engagement, The Child, Youth and Family Services Act is going to dramatically increase the number of kin families supporting vulnerable children, youth, and families [2019], Research shows that broad kin networks are directly linked to better outcomes for children and youth in the child welfare system [2019], Kin family homes are a key placement option for children and youth whose families are struggling [2017], How kinship families are improving child welfare outcomes for children and families in Ontario [2017], Friends and family first: How Childrens Aid keeps children out of care [2016], Family and Childrens Services of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville: Kinship, Ontario child welfare survey on kinship services: Responses and findings [2010], What Works for Childrens Social Care: Kinship care, Kinship care for the safety, permanency, and wellbeing of children removed from the home for maltreatment [2014], Ontario study finds kinship placements generally more stable and more likely to lead to reunification than non-kin placements [2014], Kin caring for children and youth in the child welfare system: Myths and evidence [2018], Kinship care: Caregiver factors and child outcomes [2019], Kin connections and caregivers keep young people connected with their family, extended family, heritage, culture, and traditions, Kin-based care is seen as a culturally relevantpractice, for example, among communities and cultures, including African Canadian communities,Indigenous communities, and LGBTQ2S+ communities, which may highly value extended families and communityandview child rearing as a shared collective responsibility. Victorville, CA 92395. If receipts are not provided, explanatory notes must be included in the file. File will contain separate documentation for each child in the family for whom family is receiving assistance. Kin placements were also more stable in subsequent months. Prior to the age of protection-related amendments to the CFSA coming into force under Part III of the CFSA, youth whose court-ordered society care or customary care was terminated at age 16 or 17 were not eligible to receive services from a society. Each society will track, manage and report on Standard Subsidies in a manner to be determined by the ministry. Kinship care refers to the day-to-day care and nurturing of children by relatives or others described as family by a child's immediate family members for children who are in need of protection. In considering a request for one-time financial assistance, a local director or designate will ensure that: Societies should make direct payments to suppliers (e.g. not from the date of the adoption placement or the date of the legal custody order). familys eligibility for supports through a private or government program. Approval for these exceptions is required by the local director or designate. Societies are required to track and report on funds in relation to this program. Permanent placement with relatives, or kin, is often the first option considered by foster care workers when children cannot safely remain in their parents' home or cannot be reunited with them. The amount of $475/month is equivalent to the maximum amount of the 2020 Canada Child Benefit (CCB) for a child from ages six to 17. not from the date of the adoption placement or the date of the legal custody order). Check out our new flyer that outlines how Pathways can be helpful for Kinship families and next steps for starting a Kinship session! In the Farmer and Moyers' English study (2008), the majority (93%) of the children in . The assistance would cover items that would not be immediately available from social assistance or other government programs and include the following: All costs are to be managed by societies from within their child welfare funding model approved budget allocations. In November 2006, Ontario Kinship Service Standards were introduced to the province as part of the Ministry of Children & Youth Services (MCYS) Transformation Agenda (2005). that they are required to provide financial assistance within their current funding envelope. While child welfare agencies dont provide ongoing financial support in kinship servicesituations, the family may be eligible for Temporary Care Assistance through Ontario Works, which may include prescription drugs, dental and vision care, back-to-school and winter clothing allowance, and episodic support from the child welfare agency. what supports are required to prevent the childs admission to care? not from the date of the adoption placement or the date of the legal custody order). documentation supporting the application (, The family has obtained legal custody of the child who was formerly in extended society care under. The child or children being adopted or subject of the legal custody order on or after June 15, 2012 are members of a sibling group, where sibling group is defined as 2 or more siblings. RYS agreement has been signed by the youth, society worker and local director (or designate). Societies will conduct annual reviews to determine if the family continues to meet the eligibility requirements. counseling), babysitting, day care, caretaker relief and other short term needs to address health and safety concerns for the child. The child was formerly in extended society care and have been placed with the adoptive family on or after October 1, 2021. The child is by way of court order or Temporary Care Agreement is in the custody of the children's aid society, but placed with the extended family or community member. Societies should also collaborate with community partners, including Youth-in-Transition Workers, to help youth to expand their support network and community connections. Like kinship service,kinship careallows children and youth to be placed in the care of people they know. A family that adopted or obtained legal custody of an eligible child or children and was determined ineligible to receive a Standard Subsidy from the date of the adoption placement or from the date of the legal custody order (as their annual family net income was above the income threshold) and who meet the income eligibility criteria at a later date, based on their most recent personal income tax notice of assessment, will receive Standard Subsidies from the date of the signed Standard Subsidy Agreement (i.e. We compared the stability of kinship and non-kin foster placements in the cases handled by one Ontario (Canada) child protection agency in 2008-2010. For clarification: a kinship care family approved as a kinship foster home will be eligible for foster care per diem rates. Kinship Care. The Ontario government is taking additional steps to help provide vulnerable children and youth with stable, nurturing homes by investing more than $2.95 million to help support kinship service and customary caregivers, adoptive parents and legal custody guardians. The ACO is a trauma-informed organization that acts as a provincial hub for information about adoption, operates specialized services in recruitment and matching for children/youth/older youth and families and provides post-adoption support and training for professionals. Through kinship placements, families are maintained, traditions upheld, and children move less and experience fewer behavioral, educational and health problems. The sibling(s) eligible for a Targeted Subsidy must have been placed for adoption or subject of a legal custody order on or after June 15, 2012. Societies have the discretion to suspend financial assistance or to end a Stay Home for School Agreement in situations where the youth is not residing in the home. Approval is required by a local director or designate. Click here to sign up for our upcoming session! These new funds will assist in better preparing caregivers to welcome children and youth in their homes and provide ongoing help with expenses like clothing, beds, school supplies and medical services. Families who adopt or obtain legal custody of children and who are in receipt of Targeted Subsidies may also be eligible to receive additional episodic and/or ongoing financial assistance in accordance with the requirements of the General Adoption and Legal Custody Subsidies policies in the revised 2021 Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines to help with the needs of their child(ren), at the discretion of individual societys, on a case by case basis. Society workers will meet with youth at minimum every three months to assess the youths progress in meeting his/her goals and address any challenges experienced by the youth. Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, You are now in the table of contents for this book, 2021Ontario Permanency Funding Policy Guidelines, Place of safety in relation to section 74(4) of the, Customary care in relation to section 2(1) of the, Legal custody in relation to section 116(1) of the, Customary care subsidies are provided in accordance with section 71 of the. In such cases, the reason and the time period shall be documented in the youths file. Determination that the provision of financial assistance has prevented an admission to the societys care. In deciding to extend or terminate a Targeted Subsidy agreement, the local director will require confirmation that the child/children oryouth who were subject to a legal custody order remain in the care of the family and that the family continues to meet the Family Income criteria. There are many benefits to kinship care, some of those include connection to heritage, race, culture and traditions. Legal custody of a child may or may not be involved, and the child . First Nations, Inuit and Mtis communities will be able to provide customary care once listed by the Minister in regulation pursuant to section 68 of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act. Societies are encouraged to work with community partners to assist youth in the RYS program to expand their support network and to make connections to the community, as appropriate. Youth are eligible where the following criteria are all met: Court-ordered society care specifically refers to orders made under the Child and Family Services Act(CFSA) for children in extended society care, interim society care or temporary care and custody. Orientation/training sessions on Bill 210, child welfare transformation including the kinship service policy is being held for childrens aid societies, Transformation Leads, and ministry staff between October and December 2006. assist families where the placement of the child is based on continuity of care, to be with a sibling or relative, or cultural/religious compatibility and/or where family could not offer a permanency plan in absence of financial support. Watch here. This program is designed for Ontario-based adoptivefamilies who are parenting children who have experienced trauma and loss. Each society will be required to track and manage financial assistance provided in relation to admission prevention. The relationship between the child and the kinship family is an . Eligibility for Customary Care One-time Financial Assistance is not restricted to the initial placement of the child or youth in the customary caregivers home. The youth voluntarily enters into an agreement with the society to receive supports up to age 18. availability of community and other resources. Copies of permanency funding agreements to be placed in childs file and adoptive family file. caseworkers, kinship families and others. Foster Care. We are available to answer any questions and assist you with an adoption application, if needed. Child Care Licensing (CCL) processes requests for waivers on a case-by-case basis. confirmation that the child resides in the home. In determining eligibility, societies should consider: To provide financial assistance to families who adopt or obtain legal custody of targeted populations, specifically families who adopt or become legal custodians to siblings in extended society care and children in extended society care aged 8 years and older. This study examined whether foster care or kinship care were associated with permanency outcomes and continuity of . It is anticipated that members of a childs family, extended family or community may require financial assistance and service supports in order to support this goal. The Law Society of Ontario also maintains a list of lawyers in Ontario. Financial support is required by the kin caregiver to meet the childs identified needs. Abstract. are there other private, or government programs that could provide the emergency assistance to address the urgent need? Societies are to comply with the processes and procedures in the Serious and Enhanced Serious Occurrence Reporting Guidelines (2013) if there is a serious occurrence in the home involving a youth receiving services from the society through the CCSY program. A kinship service family participates in a screening assessment that explores the familys ability to meet the safety and well-being needs of the child. review of eligibility and decision making criteria, The family has obtained legal custody of the child or children who were formerly in extended society care under. Availability of assistance from extended family members does not need to be considered when assessing eligibility for Targeted Subsidies. Read more about the announcement from Children, Community and Social Services here. assist with the specific costs or with cost sharing that provides for a childs special services. Decision making criteria have been applied. In conducting the annual review the local director or designate will consider the following information: Each society will be required to track and manage funds for legal custody (CYFSA116(1)). In deciding to extend or terminate a Standard Subsidy agreement, the local director will require confirmation that the child/children oryouth who were subject to a legal custody order remain in the care of the family and that the family continues to meet the Family Income criteria. kinship care Kinship care includes children placed out-of-home in the care of extended family, individuals emotionally connected to the child, or in a family of a similar religious or ethno-cultural background. Societies are to ensure that their internal complaints and review procedures address complaints brought forward by a youth or caregiver in a Stay Home for School Agreement, including situations where the society has decided to suspend financial assistance or end a Stay Home for School Agreement. To address the challenges for families who make a permanent commitment to care for a child 7 years old or younger through adoption or legal custody (CYFSA 116(1)) and who are not eligible for Targeted Subsidies, and who may require additional supports for stability and success in placements. Box 7010. If you can't use the online service because you are in a crisis, you can call: 416-947-5255. A Standard Subsidy file in the familys name is required and will contain the following for each child or youth for whom the family is receiving a Standard Subsidy: A caregiver is eligible for financial assistance under the Stay Home for School Policy if the following three conditions are met: A youth may carry a course load fewer than 2 credits in a semester if the youth: If the youth is not enrolled in high school or an equivalent program for a short period of time or is taking less than 2 credit courses in a semester due to exceptional circumstances (e.g. The purpose of the regulation was to establish consistent best practices in childrens aid societies. Kinship care is a term used in the United States and Great Britain for the raising of children by grandparents, other extended family members, and unrelated adults with whom they have a close family-like relationship such as godparents and close family friends because biological parents are unable to do so for whatever reason. The Stay Home for School Policy is intended to extend funding to eligible caregivers so that they can continue providing youth with a stable home from ages 18 to 21 to enable them to complete their high school education and build supportive, lasting relationships with caring adults in their lives. contractors for home modifications), and pay for initial costs associated with accommodating a child in a home (e.g. is not attending school during the summer months (optional for youth) but is enrolled in the fall semester of the following school year and is still eligible for a Stay Home for School Agreement in the fall semester. assist families in supporting openness orders or agreements (. Childrens aid societies are required to apply the Ontario Kinship Service Standards, Issued November 30, 2006, in service delivery as of December 31, 2006. Each society will be required to track and manage funds for kinship care. furniture/mattress), payments for accommodations to the home to meet the needs of the child (e.g. Confirmation that the eligible caregiver voluntarily agrees to the Stay Home for School Agreement and that the youth meets the eligibility criteria (. Societies may adapt the template, and are encouraged to include other requirements, such as information regarding the youth and caregivers expectations (e.g. Where societies are providing financial assistance, they must be prepared to provide documentation to the family for purposes of social assistance upon request. There are primarily three types of kinship care: 1. The purpose of the Ontario Kinship Service Standards is to meet the safety needs and to promote permanency for children who are currently receiving child protection services from Childrens Aid Societies, and who are being cared for by members of the childs extended family or community, Policy directive related to the application of the Ontario Kinship Service Standards, https://web.archive.org/web/20190220193117/http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/professionals/childwelfare/CYFSA/policy_directive_CW004-06.aspx, Webpage from OACAS on different permanency options and pathways to long-lasting relationships, https://web.archive.org/web/20190218163850/http://www.oacas.org/childrens-aid-child-protection/permanency/, Senior Counsel Cheryl Buehler discusses the impact of the CYFSA on kin placements, This article lists five reasons why child welfare is increasingly collaborating with community members to keep children and youth safe, Feature article from OACAS with a list of six ways kin families are changing Ontarios child welfare system for the better, https://web.archive.org/web/20190218184632/http://www.oacas.org/2017/09/kin-family-homes-are-a-key-placement-option-for-children-and-youth-whose-families-are-struggling/, Sharon Cabrera, Kin Supervisor at the Childrens Aid Society of Toronto, shares how kinship families help keep kids connected, https://web.archive.org/web/20190218195523/http://www.oacas.org/2017/09/keeping-kids-connected-sharon-cabrera-talks-about-how-kinship-families-are-improving-child-welfare-outcomes-for-children-and-families-in-ontario/, Interview with staff from Huron-Perth Childrens Aid Society about their approach to and work with kin, https://web.archive.org/save/http://www.oacas.org/2016/05/friends-and-family-first-how-childrens-aid-keeps-children-out-of-care/, Video from the Sarnia-Lambton Children's Aid Society, Video from the Family and Childrens Services of Lanark, Leeds and Grenville featuring one family's experience with kinship placement, Summary of findings from a 2010 survey of CASs on their kinship service practices, https://web.archive.org/web/20190220190650/http://www.childwelfareinstitute.torontocas.ca/sites/childwelfareinstitute/files/09%20Ontario%20Child%20Welfare%2C%20Survey%20on%20Kinship%20Services.pdf, Review of the evidence on kinship care including ratings for overall effectiveness for outcomes and the strength of evidence, https://web.archive.org/web/20190531184326/https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/evidence/evidence-store/intervention/kinship-care/, Systematic review of 102 studies that evaluates the effect of kinship care placement compared to foster care placement on the safety, permanency, and wellbeing of children removed from the home for maltreatment, https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006546.pub3/media/CDSR/CD006546/CD006546.pdf, Summary of a study comparing kin and non-kin placements based on cases from Family & Children's Services of the Waterloo Region, https://web.archive.org/web/20190219165645/http://cwrp.ca/researchwatch/2897, This information sheet provides an overview of kin-based care and how it is being used in Canada (as of 2006), https://web.archive.org/web/20190219170407/http://cwrp.ca/sites/default/files/publications/en/KinshipCare42E.pdf, PARTicle. Kinship guardianship assistance Summaries of State laws. One-time financial assistance does not apply to non-family based institutional settings, such as group homes. The child is in societys care and the society is required to provide care for children assigned or committed to its care. Section 80 of the Child, Youth and Family Services Actrequires all societies to make all reasonable efforts to pursue a plan for customary care for a First Nations, Inuk or Mtis child if the child. Bringing a child into the care of a society is a more intrusive measure and is typically driven by the protection needs of the child. Watch a four-part video training series specifically designed for Kinship Families: Coping with the Unique Challenges ofKinshipCareWith Joseph Crumbley. There are many ways to contact the Government of Ontario. Multiple studies have demonstrated that children living in kinship care experience greater placement stability (fewer placement moves) than children living in non-kinship care; 15, 19 thus, the inclusion of kinship care in the definition of placement stability would likely influence an organization's overall measure of the concept. Legal guardianship is a judicially created relationship between a child and responsible adult in which Societies will provide financial assistance to support the needs of the child in kin caregiver homes until the child returns to their parent(s) or a permanency plan has been established.
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