Foster Care
| Family and Children's Services | Kenora - Patrica Child and Family Services | |
What is Foster Care?Foster parents provide a temporary home for children who are separated from their own family. While the legal responsibility for the child remains with the agency, foster families provide a stable and nurturing home to allow the child to grow and develop according to his/her unique abilities. Who are Foster Parents?Foster parents come from all walks of life and have a variety of backgrounds. They may be experienced parents whose children have grown, young couples raising their own children, older couples, single persons, same-sex couples and those with training in child care. What foster parents have in common is a love and respect for children. Foster parents are patient and nurturing, have the ability to be flexible while providing consistency, are team players, want to learn new skills and are not afraid of a challenge. Most of all, foster parents want to make a difference in the life of a child. Who are Foster Children?There is no typical foster care and each child in the care of our agency is unique. Some are voluntarily placed in our care while others are in care by a court order. Foster children range in age from infancy to 18 years, they may be in a sibling group and all come from diverse cultural, religious and family backgrounds. Each foster child is going through a difficult period and needs not only warmth and acceptance but consistency, structure and guidelines. What Kind of Support Will I Receive?As a foster parent you will have access to a wide range of services that include:
How Can I Become a Foster Parent?If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or would like more information, Please contact one of our offices for more information. | Reach Out...Be a Foster FamilyOur goal is to keep children with their own families by providing them with needed support. However, when this is not possible, a child may be admitted into Foster Care through the Children's Aid Society. We have a number of foster families within the District of Kenora but with the growing number of children entering into care we need even more loving and safe foster homes. What is Foster Care? "Fostering has made my kids appreciate that there is more than one side to people and to situations, and as a result, my kids are not judgmental." A child may be separated from his or her own parents for a variety of reasons and will need a temporary place to live. Foster parents provide a stable and supportive home environment that will encourage growth and development for a child. In many cases, a Foster Home is the first loving, warm environment that the child will experience. Foster children range in age from infancy to 16 years. They come from a variety of racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. A child may be in foster care anywhere from a few hours to an extended period of time. Who are Foster Parents?Foster parents provide a caring and stable atmosphere that supports the positive development of children. Foster parents come from a diversity of backgrounds and family structures such as:
As foster parents you will be asked to be part of a larger team that includes Kenora-Patricia Child & Family Services staff, other professionals and sometimes the biological family. Who are the Children?"While it is true that foster parents' biological children often get more exposed to some unpleasant behaviours or situations, these are often unique opportunities to empower our children with coping skills, management techniques and lessons in tolerance of others." Foster children come from many different and diverse homes. From low income to the affluent, they could live next door, attend your place of worship or play with your children. The problems many families face are universal. The Kenora-Patricia Child & Family Services serves children of all ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs. Children coming into care range in age from newborn babies to sixteen. Foster families select the age and gender of the children they care for in their home. When brothers and sisters are admitted into care, every effort is made to keep them together. What is required to be a Foster Parent?Kenora-Patricia Child & Family Services has several essential requirements for all foster families. They include having a basic understanding of children's needs, a willingness to learn and attend training, and the ability to provide transportation to and from activities for foster children placed in their home. Both working and non-working applicants will be considered. Working applicants will need to provide a secondary support plan and be readily available when we need to place a child in their home and for emergencies. If you,
We think you'd be an extraordinary foster parent Why be a Foster Parent?"Since we began fostering, our natural kids have become more responsible and caring. They never blink an eye now when they're confronted with someone who’s different than them and they always try to help out foster kids." Fostering as a family is a wonderful, character building, life changing experience. Fostering is a way to strengthen family ties. Each family member works together to build a caring, supportive home for a foster child, which not only helps that foster child, but strengthens their own family unit as well. The gifts that are returned to you and your family are not material. They are far more valuable - wonderful memories and knowing that you made a difference. As a Foster Parent you:
For more information on these opportunities, please call your local office. |