Introduction
CSS provides services in accordance with the Government Business Plan goals and Community and Social Services vision, mission and goals.

Related Government Business Plan Goal
Goal 6: Albertans will be independent and our children will be well cared for

Community and Social Services Vision
Alberta is the best place in the world to live, work and do business.

Community and Social Services Mission
To build Albertas economy and workforce to ensure a vibrant and prosperous province for all Albertans.

Related Community and Social Services Goal
Goal 3: All Albertans share in and contribute to the economic prosperity of Alberta

Community and Social Services helps individual Albertans and families realize their potential and ability to share in the social, economic and cultural fabric of the province.  The Ministry provides health benefits, child support services and financial assistance to help Albertans with low income be as independent as possible, move to employment and stay in the labour force. 

This goal is supported by Strategy 3.3: Increase the financial independence and attachment to the labour market of Albertans by providing health benefits to eligible individuals and families, and child support services to help ensure non-custodial parents provide financial support to their children. 

Rationale
CSS program goals support Department goals and are informed by social policy research. Research on families with low income has shown that:

• Next to earned income, child support income has the greatest financial impact for helping families with low income.
  
• Families who are on assistance and receive child support income attach to the labour force faster and stay attached longer.
  
• Families receiving child support income apply for assistance less frequently.
  
• Child support income does not deter parents from seeking employment because child support income becomes an additional source of income when they leave income support.

Goals
The following CSS goals support the government’s labour force development strategy, Building and Educating Tomorrow’s Workforce:

• To ensure eligible Albertans are able to access and receive CSS.
  
• To help families with low income attach or remain attached to the labour force by obtaining child support agreements or support orders for all eligible clients when the other parent has the potential to pay child support.
  
• To increase income potential for families with low income by registering support orders and agreements with MEP when the Director has the authority to do so and the responsible parent is not a regular payor.
  
• To help families with low income participate in and contribute to Alberta’s economy by:
  
  
  • Increasing their opportunity for financial security,
    
  • Supplementing their earned income by arranging child support payments,
    
  • Referring unemployed or under-employed respondents to appropriate career counselling resources, and
    
  • Referring applicants to appropriate social supports when applicable, and applicants who are other Albertans with low-income to career counselling if requested.