Kinship Care Help Line

The Kinship Care Help Line provides support, advocacy and resource information to grandparents and other relatives raising a family member’s child as well as to service providers and allies.

The Help Line serves callers from across the province and is staffed by two part-time advocates trained in advocacy, social work, family law, and government services related to child welfare and kinship caregiving. Our services to kinship caregivers are confidential and ongoing.

604-558-4740

1-855-474-9777 (Toll-Free)

We Support & Advocate for Kinship Care Families. We help Kinship Caregivers:

Navigate complex service systems such as the Ministry of Children and Family Development
Overcome information barriers; to find the answers, assistance, and resources needed to prevent or solve problems
Identify benefits and services that will support the whole family.

Speak to an advocate today!

Our friendly and knowledgeable team of advocates are here to help you navigate your journey as a Kinship Caregiver.

Cassandra Strain (she/her)

Metis, Indigenous & Kinship Engagement Lead

Jane Bouey

Sm Git ‘Tlgoosgm Xsygiik

(Danella Angus) Tsm’syen Nation, Indigenous Community Development Lead

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Christina Campbell (She/her)

Child Welfare & Program Development Lead

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During your telephone/or Zoom appointment, they can:
  • Listen to your concerns.
  • Provide you personalized advice.
  • Connect you with relevant resources and support services.
  • Help you navigate legal processes and financial assistance.
Please note:
  • You can meet with our advocates on Zoom, in addition to the phone. NEW!
  • Chat with our Advocates via Messenger here! NEW!
  • To arrange an appointment outside of Help Line hours, please contact us by email or phone.
  • Help Line advocates can provide fulsome legal information but CANNOT provide legal advice.

Drop-in Indigenous Child Welfare Group

The Kinship Care Help Line advocates hold space for a Cross-Nation group discussion on child welfare matters on the last Wednesday of each month.

This is an opportunity for Indigenous community leaders engaged in the child welfare to learn, inspire and support one another.

Contact our Advocates to find out more info.

Kinship Care updates are a place for the Kinship Care community to learn about and stay updated on advocacy efforts and relavant developments within government, as well as community. Sign-up today to start receiving email updates!

Kinship Care Events

Cross Nation Knowledge Sharing Pss Wednesdays
Ask An Advocate Indigenous Kinship Info Session
Ask An Advocate Kinship Info Session 2024

Our Research

2020 2021 State Of Kinship Care Research Report Pdf

The State of Kinship Care in British Columbia – PSS & University of Northern British Columbia.

What is Advocacy? 

At Parent Support Services Society we work to give parents, grandparents, and other kinship caregivers the tools they need in order to advocate for themselves. We do this through our Support Groups and our Kinship Care Help Line. This is individual advocacy. 

PSS also participates in systemic advocacy. We are part of larger coalitions such as the First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Society We also sometimes share the concerns we hear from our families – such as the Barriers to Kinship Care, Family Poverty, and the Rights of all children to attend school. We also work with kinship care families as they raise the challenges they face in providing their children with the support they need. Kinship Caregivers have come together and formed their own independent organization that is working for change – Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives.

If you are interested in learning more about PSS’s systemic advocacy contact:
Jane Bouey 
604-669-1616 ext. 4
jane.bouey@parentsupportbc.ca

Kinship caregivers advocating for change
Fairness for Children Raised by Relatives
fairness4crr@gmail.com

Advocacy for Indigenous Kinship Care
All Our Relations: Equality for Relatives Raising Relatives

List of advocates
povnet.org