Temporary Care Agreements and Proof of Care Documents for Kinship in Nova Scotia

When a child lands on your doorstep because their parent can't cope, nobody hands you a manual. The first weeks are all bedding and groceries and school runs. But eventually someone — the CRA, a school secretary, a doctor's office — asks you to prove that you're actually raising this child. That's where proof of care documents come in.

What "Proof of Care" Means in Practice

Proof of care is the evidence that you are the child's primary caregiver — that the child lives with you, depends on you, and you make the daily decisions about their food, health, and education. It isn't a single government form. It's a collection of documents from different sources that all tell the same story.

The Canada Revenue Agency needs proof of care before it will transfer the Canada Child Benefit to you. Schools need it to register you as the primary contact. And if you ever apply for provincial supports through the Department of Opportunities and Social Development, your caseworker will want to see it too.

Documents That Count as Proof

The CRA specifically asks for at least two independent, third-party documents when a relative applies for CCB using Form RC66. Here's what works:

School letter. A signed letter on school letterhead from the principal or guidance counsellor confirming that you enrolled the child, attend parent-teacher meetings, and are listed as the primary emergency contact. This is the strongest single piece of evidence.

Medical letter. A letter from the child's doctor, nurse practitioner, or public health nurse stating that the child lives with you and you bring them to appointments.

Childcare provider letter. If the child attends daycare or after-school care, the operator can confirm who drops off and picks up.

Community attestations. Letters from a landlord (confirming the child lives at your address), a religious leader, a community agency worker, or a Band councillor for Indigenous communities.

Written parental consent or agreement. If the parent signed a letter delegating care to you, include a copy.

You don't need all of these. Two strong, independent letters — typically the school letter plus one other — are usually enough.

Temporary Care Agreements in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia doesn't have a standardised government "temporary care agreement" form for informal kinship arrangements. Ontario's Temporary Care Assistance is a financial program, not a model agreement form. A private written agreement between you and the child's parent is still valuable.

A practical temporary care agreement between family members should cover the child's full name and date of birth, both the parent's and the caregiver's names and addresses, the date care started, what authority the parent is delegating (daily care, medical consent, school decisions), and both signatures with dates.

This agreement doesn't create a legal custody order. A parent can revoke it. But it does three important things: it gives the CRA documentary evidence of care, it shows schools and doctors that the arrangement isn't secret or contested, and it creates a written record of when care started — which matters for retroactive CCB claims that the CRA can backdate up to ten years.

Building Your Evidence File

Start collecting proof from the first week. Keep a folder — physical or digital — with dated copies of everything:

• The child's school enrollment confirmation
• Receipts for clothing, school supplies, and groceries (these show ongoing expenses)
• Any letters from the parent
• Medical appointment records
• Your written care agreement (if the parent cooperated)

The more consistent and dated your evidence, the smoother the CRA review and any future court application will go.

When Informal Proof Isn't Enough

Informal proof of care works well for federal benefits like the CCB and NSCB. ESIA eligibility is based on the household's financial circumstances, and the Department assesses requests for Alternative Family Care. If you are settling a dispute with the child's parent or need formal decision-making authority, you may need a court order under the Parenting and Support Act.

The Nova Scotia kinship financial help guide covers how each type of care arrangement — informal, written consent, court order, or agency placement — changes which benefits you can access and what proof you need for each.

See more Nova Scotia guides →