Foster kids to get money for recreation, savings plans
June 27, 2008

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Laurie Monsebraaten
SOCIAL JUSTICE REPORTER

Toronto Star

Ontario's new child benefit will help the province's 19,000 foster kids get the learning and recreational opportunities they need to become successful adults, Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews announced yesterday.

"Every child has different dreams, skills and goals," Matthews said in an interview about the fund, to be administered by children's aid societies and used for everything from new skates, to school trips and private tutoring.

"We want it to be as flexible as possible and based on each child's individual needs."

In addition, those from age 15 to 17 will get up to $3,300 deposited into bank accounts for use after they leave care, along with money management training to help them manage their savings.

The Ontario Child Benefit will provide up to $50 per month for all low-income children starting in July. Money from the benefit for foster children amounts to $11.5 million and includes the 2008-09 payment of $600 per child as well as the $250 down payment from last year which they never received.

The fund will grow to $16.2 million in 2011 when annual payments reach $1,100 per child. That's the amount youths aged 15 to 17 will receive annually in savings accounts when the benefit is fully rolled out.

YouthCAN, the advocacy arm of the Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies, applauded the new fund and savings plan.

"We know from talking to youth that financial support is really important and youth worry about living in poverty," said Amanda Rose, of YouthCAN, in a statement. "Helping set up bank accounts and getting help with budgeting are things youth need."

McGuinty Government Creates Championship Teams And Improves Financial Support

February 19, 2009

Ontario is helping Crown wards succeed at college and university.

Three new Education Championship Teams will offer mentorship, peer support, motivation and guidance in three Ontario communities.  Teams include volunteers from local school boards, children’s aid societies, postsecondary institutions, community agencies, Employment Ontario and provincial ministries. 

In their first year of operation, four Championship Teams helped approximately 350 students. The government’s investment increases the number of teams helping Crown wards to seven.   

Crown wards who pursue postsecondary education and training may also receive financial aid through tuition grants, reimbursement of university/college entrance application fees, and certain exemptions from Ontario Student Assistance Program income assessments.

Support for Crown wards is also a component of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, which will reduce the number of children living in poverty by 25 per cent over 5 years - lifting 90,000 kids out of poverty - by boosting benefits for low-income families and enhancing publicly-funded education.

Quotes

“By removing the barriers to education faced by Crown wards, we are closer to realizing our goal of ensuring all Ontarians are equipped for success in our knowledge-based economy,” said John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

“We know that young people who have been in the care of children’s aid societies experience unique challenges as they enter adulthood,” said Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews. “But with a good education and the right supports, I’m confident they can achieve their dreams.”
"Crown Wards often face multiple obstacles in their quest for succeeding in high school and in the pursuit of post-secondary education and training," said Leeanna Pendergast, MPP for Kitchener-Conestoga. "These new championship teams will provide them with the educational support needed to pursue the road to higher education."

Quick Facts

There are approximately 9,500 Crown wards in Ontario, and 53 Children’s Aid Societies.

Three new Championship Teams in Waterloo/Guelph/Wellington, Simcoe and Hamilton/Brant/Haldimand-Norfolk will receive start-up funding of $150,000 each.

Existing teams in Toronto, London, Ottawa and Thunder Bay will receive additional funding of $75,000 each. 

Learn More

Financial help specifically for students who are Crown wards is explained in this Backgrounder.

Support for Crown wards is also a component of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy.

   News Release

Crown Wards Get More Help At School

What is the Ontario Child Benefit?

The Ontario Child Benefit is financial support that low-income families can receive to help provide for their children. 

About 465,000 families with 960,000 children receive a monthly Ontario Child Benefit payment each month. Currently, that’s up to $50 per child each month.  The government is proposing to increase the benefit to just under $92 per child each month starting in July 2009.  When the program is fully implemented in 2012, more than 600,000 low-income families will receive up to $1,310 per child annually.

How much will I receive?

Your payment is based on the number of children under age 18 in your family and your family net income. You may be eligible for the Ontario Child Benefit whether you work or not.

Families currently receive up to $600 a year per child; the government is proposing to increase the Ontario Child Benefit starting this July to a maximum of $1,100 per child per year.

As part of the poverty reduction strategy released in December 2008, the government has committed to increasing the OCB to $1,310 a year per child.

To see how much you may be eligible for, use the online calculator or see the chart below.

Ontario Child Benefit Monthly Payment Estimates for July 2008 to June 2009 ($)
		Family Net Income
Year	Number of Children	$20,000	$25,000	$30,000
July 2008 to June 2009	1	50.00	16.67	-
	2	100.00	66.67	33.33
	3	150.00	116.67	83.33
	4	200.00	166.67	133.33

Ontario Child Benefit Monthly Payment Estimates for July 2009 to June 2010 ($)*
		Family Net Income
Year	Number of Children	$20,000	$25,000	$30,000
July 2009 to June 2010	1	91.66	58.00	25.00
	2	183.00	150.00	117.00
	3	275.00	241.00	208.00
	4	367.00	333.00	300.00

* Figures based on the government’s proposal to increase the Ontario Child Benefit for July 2009.  Link to read more  Child benefit increases to $1,100 yearly to ease the economic fallout

Ontario Child Benefit: questions and answers  PDFC-Clippings Mar 23_09.pdf

Between July 2008 and June 2009, eligible families will receive up to a maximum of $50 per child every month.

The government's original implementation schedule saw the maximum amount rising incrementally every July until 2011, when the maximum was to be $92 per child per month. ISAC has been advocating with government to roll out the full $92 a month more quickly so that families living in poverty don't have to wait four years to get the full amount. See Recommendation #4 in ISAC's submission on the 2009 Budget for more information.

We won this battle. The provincial government's 2009 Budget announced that the maximum OCB amount will rise to $92 per child per month starting in July 2009. Link