Financial Help for Informal Kinship Caregivers in Saskatchewan

No Court Order Does Not Mean No Help

Thousands of children across Saskatchewan live with grandparents, aunts, uncles, or family friends under informal arrangements — no court order, no Ministry involvement, no paper trail. Maybe the parents asked you to take the child temporarily. Maybe the child showed up at your door one night and never left. Maybe the Ministry is aware of the situation but has not opened a formal case.

Whatever the path, you are paying for everything out of pocket. And the single most important thing to know is this: informal kinship caregivers are not eligible for PSI maintenance payments. Zero provincial foster-care-rate funding flows without a formal court order under The Child and Family Services Act.

That is the bad news. The better news is that other programs exist, and some of them pay meaningful amounts.

Canada Child Benefit: Your Main Federal Lifeline

The Canada Child Benefit is the single largest payment available to informal kinship caregivers. For July 2026 to June 2027, children under 6 may qualify for up to $8,157 per year ($679.75 per month), and children aged 6 to 17 for up to $6,883 per year ($573.58 per month). The amount phases out at higher family incomes, but for many grandparents on fixed pensions, the full amount applies.

You do not need a court order to claim it. CRA requires proof that you are the primary caregiver — that the child lives with you and you handle the daily care decisions. School enrolment forms, medical records, and letters from community members all count as evidence.

The catch: if the biological parent is still receiving the CCB, you have to file a competing claim. CRA will investigate and transfer the benefit to you based on the evidence. See our guide on transferring the CCB for the detailed steps.

Saskatchewan Income Support

If your household income is low enough, Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) provides monthly cash assistance. The current SIS rates include:

• Adult basic benefit: $375 per month outside the Northern Administration District ($445 inside)
• Children's basic benefit: $65 per child per month (or $400 per child if the child is ineligible for the federal CCB)
• Shelter benefit: Up to $1,105 per month for a family with 1–2 children in Regina or Saskatoon

SIS is means-tested — your income, assets, and other benefits all factor in. But adding a child to your household changes your benefit category and shelter rate, potentially increasing your total payment significantly.

Saskatchewan Employment Incentive

If you work and earn at least $500 per month, the Saskatchewan Employment Incentive (SEI) provides up to $400 per month for one eligible child, $500 for two, or $600 for three or more. A child must be age 0–12, or 13–17 with special needs, and you must receive the CCB for that child or hold PSI status — so for informal caregivers, getting the CCB claim established first is essential.

SEI approval also automatically qualifies your family for Family Health Benefits, covering children's dental, eye exams, eyeglasses, and prescription drugs.

Emergency and Community Support

When a child arrives with nothing — no clothes, no school supplies, no bed — and benefits are weeks away from starting, these resources can bridge the gap:

• 211 Saskatchewan (dial 2-1-1 or visit online): a directory of local food banks, clothing depots, emergency financial help, and family support services
• The Salvation Army and local churches: many offer emergency household goods and clothing for children
• First Nations Band offices: if the child is a member of a First Nations community, the Band may provide emergency family support or connect you with Indigenous Child and Family Services

These resources provide immediate relief but cannot replace the sustained financial support of formal benefits.

When to Consider Formalizing

Informal care works when the situation is genuinely temporary — a few weeks or months while a parent stabilizes. But if the child has been with you for several months and there is no realistic timeline for them to return to their parents, formalizing the arrangement opens significantly more support.

A PSI order through the Ministry means non-means-tested maintenance at foster care rates, supplementary health coverage, and school fee allowances. A parenting order under The Children's Law Act, 2020 gives you legal authority for medical and educational decisions.

Our Saskatchewan Kinship Financial Help Guide walks through both the informal and formal paths, showing exactly what financial support is available at each stage and when it makes sense to move from one to the other.

See more Saskatchewan guides →