What is Foster Care?

Foster parents are concerned people in the community who want to help provide a safe, nurturing place for children to live who cannot reside in their own home.
Foster parents can provide short-term care to a child for a day or two, or they can help a child develop towards adulthood by providing long-term foster care. The arrangements are determined by the child’s needs and the availability of the foster parents.
Foster parents are always needed in the Algoma region. Currently there are 240* children in care and only 123*foster homes to look after them. (*As of May 30, 2009)

The Truth about Fostering

The truth about fostering is that foster parents come from all walks of life with a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. They act as role models, teachers, nurturers and give a stable caring home for children. Foster parents may be:
 
- Male or female
- Married or single
- Be 25 years of age or older
- Have children that are grown or still in the home

Support Systems

- A foster care coordinator for individual support
- A tax free reimbursement for the child’s living expenses
- Initial orientation and on-going training
- Access to other therapeutic services a child may require

Ways to Help:

- Respite
- Relief
- Emergency
- Short or long term care to a child

Who are the children?

Each child is unique and has different strengths and interests. Every child shares one common thread; the need for love and acceptance.

Children range in age from infancy to 16 and come from all ethnic backgrounds.

The Initial Call

The first step in becoming a foster parent is to learn more about fostering by calling the Children’s Aid Society. The first contact gives you the opportunity to learn more about fostering while getting your questions and concerns answered.

Once you decide that fostering is for you call the Children’s Aid Society and ask to speak to Chris Mair.

Find out more information and foster a child today!

Christine Mair
949-0162 Ext. 211

Email address: cmair@algomacas.org

  Genawenman Binojiuk (Foster Care) Program