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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Everyone knows that children are sometimes raised by their grandparents, uncles and aunts, and even older siblings.

However, not everyone knows such in-family arrangements may be eligible to receive government financial support just like an official foster family.

Dean Soenen, the director of child and family services with the Department of Health and Social Services, said there is confusion among some people about who is and isn't eligible for support.

"It would depend on the circumstances and the needs of the child," Soenen said.

For example, he said a grandmother may have taken in her grandchild without any involvement of social services, but a short-term arrangement has turned out to be a lot longer than expected or the woman is finding it difficult financially.

In that case, the grandmother can contact social services to see if support is available.

Soenen said each request for support is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

"We have to approve that home," he added.

Soenen said financial support has been provided in some similar situations, but he could not provide exact numbers.

The director said, if a family wants to ask about assistance, it should contact a local office of the Department of Health and Social Services.

"Then a social worker would come out to a home and assess that," he said.

Soenen said some families don't want the government to be involved in arrangements for their children.

"I think you have to respect that," he said, adding the government should not be involved unless a child is in jeopardy.

"It's always about the best interests of the child and ensuring the child is not at risk," he said.

When social services is initially involved in finding a home for a child, the foster parents, including relatives, are paid.

The first option is to place the child with relatives.

"We call those extended foster homes," Soenen said.

The next option is to place the child with friends or acquaintances of the family, known as provisional foster homes.

Finally, the child could be placed in homes of non-relatives with no connection to the family.

In all, there are about 300 foster families in the NWT.