Indigenous Kinship Care in Alberta: Financial Support and DFNA Services

How Kinship Care Works for Indigenous Families in Alberta

First Nations and Métis families in Alberta can access kinship care through the provincial child intervention system. Delegated First Nation Agencies (DFNAs) also deliver child intervention, kinship, and permanency services to First Nations children residing on and off reserve under their service agreements.

The baseline financial supports — daily per diems, KIPA, recreation allowances, and SFP — follow provincial rules. DFNAs hold administrative discretion over cultural connection funding and extended travel allowances, and can develop flexible, community-based respite models that reflect the child's connection to their nation.

Provincial Per Diems Apply Province-Wide

Regardless of whether a kinship file is managed by a regional CFS office or a DFNA, the daily basic maintenance per diems are the same (as of April 1, 2026):

• Ages 0–1: $26.00/day
• Ages 6–8: $28.99/day
• Ages 12–15: $34.69/day
• Ages 16–17: $39.66/day

KIPA (up to $900), infant care, recreation, and camp allowances follow the provincial caregiver policy. DFNAs hold discretion over cultural travel and community-based respite support.

Cultural Travel and Connection Funding

DFNAs can authorise travel reimbursement for a First Nations child, their caregiver, and household family members to visit the child's band of origin or extended family community. This covers:

• Automobile travel at $0.570 per kilometre (as of June 1, 2025)
• Meal per diems: $13.00 breakfast, $18.00 lunch, $28.00 dinner
• Confirm accommodation reimbursement with the DFNA before booking; the listed travel amounts cover mileage and meals

For families in Edmonton or Calgary caring for a child whose nation is in northern Alberta, this funding can be significant — a 700 km round trip to a northern community represents roughly $400 in mileage alone.

DFNAs also have discretion to develop flexible, community-based respite models that use extended family structures rather than institutional respite providers.

Federal Funding Through Indigenous Services Canada

DFNAs can coordinate federal funding through Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) for specialised service needs that complement provincial baseline rates. Your DFNA caseworker is the starting point for understanding which funding stream applies in your community.

Supports for Permanency and SFP

The SFP program applies equally to Indigenous and non-Indigenous families. If a child was under a Permanent Guardianship Order (PGO) or Permanent Guardianship Agreement (PGA) and a relative obtains a Private Guardianship Order, SFP provides daily maintenance, respite hours, counselling, and emotional support funding regardless of the family's Indigenous status.

The September 2025 income test ($180,000 household cap on basic maintenance for new orders) applies the same way.

Non-Insured Health Benefits

Eligible First Nations clients registered under the Indian Act and recognized Inuit clients may qualify for the federal Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program, which covers services including dental, vision, mental health counselling, and prescription drugs. Eligibility is based on the child's status, not the care arrangement.

Métis status alone does not establish NIHB eligibility; Métis children may access dental and health supports through provincial programs and Métis-specific programming through the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Finding Your DFNA

Alberta has 23 DFNA service-delivery agreements covering 37 of the province's 48 First Nations. Your band office or 211 Alberta (dial 2-1-1) can direct you to the correct DFNA for your community.

The Alberta kinship financial help guide includes the full list of DFNAs, the cultural travel claim process, and a comparison of on-reserve and off-reserve financial supports for kinship caregivers.

See more Alberta guides →