Indigenous caregivers

Become a foster caregiver
Become a kinship caregiver
Indigenous caregivers
Celebrating foster and kinship caregivers
Support for foster and kinship caregivers

"Indigenous caregivers keep children in culturally appropriate environments, regardless of where they reside."

– Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action

Overview

We are committed to keeping Indigenous families together whenever possible.

When children come into care, it is important they are placed with people known to them – extended family, community members or people familiar with the child’s own cultural traditions or ceremonial practices.

A stable home

Whether you live in an urban, rural or Indigenous community, you may be able to provide a safe, loving and stable home for a child or sibling group. Children need and have the right to develop pride in their personal identity, to experience their familial and community belonging, and to know their place with their culture – such as a connection to First Nations, Métis or Inuit heritage.

Indigenous children coming into care

A child coming into care can be an infant, child or youth under the age of 18, of any gender or sexual orientation. Almost all children will have experienced some form of trauma from being removed from their home or multiple placements. Some children need longer-term placements and others need short-term placements. Almost all will need support to maintain connections with their families and communities.

Children entering care may:

have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence or excessive drug or alcohol use
be part of a sibling group that’s to be kept together
need assistance with keeping connections to their own family, community, cultural background and language
struggle with loss and grief
have issues around gender identity or sexual orientation
require help preparing for adulthood

Types of Indigenous caregiving

Indigenous families can provide care to children either through kinship care (which is more like traditional practices) or through foster care. Legal permanency through adoption or private guardianship can also be explored.

The different types of caregiving and legal permanency roles are:

kinship caregiving (more like traditional practices)
foster caregiving
private guardianship
adoption

How to become a caregiver

If becoming a foster or kinship caregiver for Indigenous children interests you, contact your local or Child and Family Services office or Delegated First Nation Agency, or call 1-888-643-1889.

Support for kinship caregivers

Support for kinship caregivers is provided through government caregiver programs and workers, agencies, other caregivers and the Alberta Foster Kinship Association. As a kinship caregiver, you will have ongoing contact and visits from your caregiver practitioner and the child’s child intervention practitioner to ensure the needs of the child and caregivers are being met.

In addition to in-home services, caregiver support includes, but is not limited to:

compensation
training
mentorship
resources for respite and childcare
peer support and support groups
recognition events

Learn more about compensation rates, training and other supports.

Support for foster caregivers

Support for foster caregivers is provided through government caregiver programs and staff, agencies, other caregivers and the Alberta Foster Kinship Association.

These include, but are not limited to:

compensation
ongoing contacts and visits from a foster care support worker and the child’s child intervention practitioner
training
resources for respite and childcare
peer support
support groups
conferences and recognition events

Learn more about compensation rates, training and other supports.