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Child in Home of a Relative (CIHR)


Policy

Definitions: March 11, 2008

Eligibility: February 3, 2011

Determining Risk: September 29, 2011

Relatives' Employment Obligations: April 1, 2010

Determining if a Person 18 Years or Older is Living Part-Time in the Relative's Home: March 11, 2008

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Definitions: March 11, 2008
March 11, 2008

The following definitions apply only to the Child in Home of a Relative (CIHR) Program:

Child – An unmarried person under 19 years of age who is not a person with disabilities.

Relative – In relation to a child, does not include the child’s parents.

A relative may include a person connected with the child by blood, marriage, or who has a significant cultural or traditional responsibility to the child.

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Eligibility: February 3, 2011
February 3, 2011

AS OF MARCH 31, 2010, THE CHILD IN THE HOME OF RELATIVE (CIHR) PROGRAM STOPPED ACCEPTING NEW APPLICATIONS.

Persons who applied for CIHR on or before March 31, 2010 were assessed and grandparented upon acceptance based on regulations existing as of that date and as authorized by the Child in the Home of a Relative Program Transition Regulation. The Ministry of Social Development (SD) continues to administer the CIHR program for these clients.

After March 31, 2010, any clients whose CIHR is discontinued may pursue assistance through community-based services, contact the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) for assistance under one of its programs, or apply for income assistance through this ministry with the child as a dependent. (To qualify for income assistance, the family unit must meet all eligibility criteria.) 

A child may continue to be eligible for CIHR assistance only if all of the following apply:

  • the child resides with his or her relative

  • the child’s parent placed the child with the relative

  • the child’s parent does not reside with the relative

  • MCFD determines that there is no evidence of a level of risk to the child in the home that compromises the home as an appropriate place for the child [see Determining Risk]

CIHR is not available to relatives who have a kith and kin agreement with MCFD. When CIHR clients sign an agreement with MCFD under the Extended Family Program (or other agreements such as a Section 8, a Child’s Kin and Others or a Kith and Kin agreement), MCFD will advise this ministry of the agreement and CIHR assistance will be discontinued.  [See Procedures: Notification by MCFD of Extended Family Program or Other Agreements.]

A CIHR client is subject to all eligibility rules except the following:

  • income and asset testing [For more information, see Related Links – Income and Exemptions, Pursuing Income, or Assets and Exemptions.]

  • requirement to seek employment [For more information, see Related Links – No Employment Obligations.]

  • time limits for income assistance [For more information, see Related Links – Time Limits.]

  • requirement to assign maintenance rights [For more information, see Related Links – Family Maintenance Program.]

The parents are expected to contribute toward the cost of caring for the child. There is no exemption on this income for caregivers who are on income assistance. Both CPP and Child of a Disabled Contributor benefits paid to orphans are not considered parental contributions and therefore do not affect the CIHR payments.

The relative may apply for the Canada Child Tax Benefit, thereby automatically generating entitlement to BC Family Bonus and BC Earned Income Benefit. These supplements are exempt as income and do not affect the CIHR payments.

Eligibility for Supplements

Recipients of CIHR assistance may be eligible for:

  • a school start-up supplement, if a child eligible for CIHR is attending school full-time [see Related Links – School Start-up Supplement];

  • additional health supplements if equivalent payment for the services is not available through the child’s parents. [see Related Links – Health Supplement Summary]

Recipients of CIHR assistance are not eligible for any of the following:

  • Christmas supplement [see Related Links – Christmas Supplement]

  • supplement for lost or stolen family bonus cheques [see Related Links – Replacement of Lost or Stolen Cheques]

  • supplement for a delayed or suspended family bonus [see Related Links – Family Bonus Supplement]

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Determining Risk: September 29, 2011
September 29, 2011

To determine that there is no evidence of risk to the child in the home that compromises the home as an appropriate place for the child, MCFD will conduct screening checks on behalf of this ministry on the following persons:

  • the relative, who has not been screened, and is receiving CIHR assistance on behalf of the child

  • any other person age 18 years or older who lives in the relative's home, either full-time or part-time

The screening checks will consist of:

  • a Prior Contact Check:  a review of any records of previous involvement that MCFD or a Delegated Aboriginal Agency may have had with the individual

  • a criminal record check conducted by Public Safety and Solicitor General (PSSG)

Each person age 18 or over living in the relative’s home must provide written consent for MCFD to conduct the screening checks.  If any person age 18 or over refuses consent MCFD’s After Hours Office may be contacted to determine next steps.

Screening Results

Based on the results of the checks, MCFD will determine whether or not concerns exist. MCFD will advise MSD with one of two statements:

  • no evidence of risk; or

  • risk determination is not possible, the child is not residing with the CIHR care provider

If MCFD informs this ministry that the screening checks show no evidence of risk, and the recipient meets the other eligibility criteria for CIHR assistance, the CIHR assistance will continue.

If MCFD determines that concerns exist within the household, MCFD informs this ministry that “risk determination is not possible, the child is not residing with the CIHR care provider” the CIHR benefits will not continue for the relevant child.

If CIHR is discontinued, the person can request a reconsideration.  At reconsideration, this ministry will make a new CIHR eligibility decision based on the regulatory criteria for CIHR, including the results of MCFD's screening.  As MCFD determines whether or not there is evidence of risk to the child, this ministry will know only the results of MCFD's screening, not the information that led to those results.  If the relative disputes or disagrees with the findings from the MCFD screening, or wants more information about the screening results, the relative should be directed to contact the CIHR Screening Information Contact at the MCFD After Hours Office [see Contacts].  By regulation, the decision to discontinue CIHR based on evidence of risk cannot be appealed to the Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal.

Relatives caring for a CIHR must record information about a change in the household composition on the SD0081 Monthly Report.  If another person age 18 or over moves into the home or a dependent child in the home turns 18, that person must consent to be screened by MCFD for continued eligibility.  If any person age 18 or over refuses consent MCFD After Hours Office must be contacted to determine next steps [see Contacts].

For procedures for requesting screening checks from MCFD and recording the results of the screening checks, see Procedures.

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Relatives' Employment Obligations: April 1, 2010
April 1, 2010

When the relative providing care for a child in the home of a relative is an income assistance recipient, the consequences of failing to meet employment-related obligations do not apply to the relative when the child meets either of the following criteria:

  • has not reached three years of age

  • has a physical or mental condition that precludes the relative from leaving home for the purposes of employment

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Determining if a Person 18 Years or Older is Living Part-Time in the Relative's Home: March 11, 2008
March 11, 2008

The following factors should be considered to determine whether a person 18 years or older is living in the relative’s home part-time:

  • Whether the person’s living arrangement is consistent with aspects of occupying the relative’s home as a place of residence

  • The frequency and duration the person is residing in the relative’s home

  • If during periods of residing in the relative’s home, the person is unsupervised with the child

Examples where the person may be considered living part-time in the relative’s home:

  • The person receives mail at the address of the home, indicates it as their place of contact, or contributes to duties associated with living in the home.

  • The person is attending school where commuting between two residences is necessary and is staying overnight at the relative’s home on a regular basis such as five nights per week for six months.

  • The person is employed where commuting between two residences is necessary and is staying overnight at the relative’s home on a regular basis such as two nights per week for an indefinite amount of time.

Examples where the person may not be considered living part-time in the relative’s home:

  • The person does not receive mail at the address of the home, does not indicate it as their place of contact, or does not contribute to duties associated with living in the home.

  • The person is staying overnight at the relative’s home on a temporary basis such as one night per month.

  • The person is visiting the relative’s home for a three week vacation.

As the purpose of the screening requirement is to ensure the child’s safety, if the factors suggest a person 18 years or older is living in the relative’s home part-time, that person should be included in the screening check.

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