What is Foster Care?
• One of many services the C.A.S. of Algoma is mandated to provide under the Child & Family Service Act.
• A protection service for children whose family problems are serious enough to require a temporary period of time out of the home.
• Families in the community that have been screened, trained and approved to provide temporary family care to children who have been separated from their families.

What is the Goal of Foster Care?
• To assist children and their families toward family reunification.
• Where family reunification is not possible, to participate in making the best possible alternate plans of permanency for the children.

Who Fosters?
• People from different walks of life, races and cultures including two-parent and single parent families.
• Parents who have already raised their own children, others who are still engaged in raising their own family, and others who don’t have children of their own.
• Some foster parents have professional skills and training (childcare, social work, psychology, nursing education, etc.) Others obtain specific training while they foster.
• All have a common interest in children. Generally, many have a desire to contribute to their community and share an interest in a special, purposeful challenge.

What Do Foster Parents Do?
• Provide temporary care in their own home.
• Act as role models, teachers, and nurturers.
• Work as part of a team with Society staff towards establishing the best plan for each child. Most often, this will be family reunification. Where this is not possible, the plan may include adoption, long-term care, or independence preparation (for teens).

How Long Would I Care for a Child?
• The length of time each child remains in care is determined by the individual needs of the child and his/her family situation. While the child is in foster care, his/her parents receive the assistance and counseling needed to overcome their problems and to improve the overall functioning of the family. The range of stay may be 24 hours in the short term while some may be long-term placements involving years. In most cases, the child returns to his/her parents once their family situation has improved. The average length of stay in foster care can range from one day to several years. In some instances, the child is not able to return home. In these cases, the child may be adopted or remain with the foster family until the child becomes an adult. Foster parents can select the type of care they would like to provide (short term, long term or emergency).

It’s Not Always Easy
• Being a parent is not easy, and frankly, foster parenting may be more demanding than normal parenting.
• Separation from parents is a very painful and confusing situation for a child. The foster family must be flexible and able to cope with guilt, anger, fear and sadness that a foster child may feel when in care.
• Accepting and understanding the child’s family can be one of the most difficult parts of fostering and also one of the most important. The primary parents’ visit can de disturbing for both foster family and the foster child. However, these visits are necessary as they help the child maintain ties with his/her family and prepare them for the eventual return home. 
• Seeing the child leave is often a sad moment for the foster family. But foster parents have the satisfaction of having helped a child to live a better life through a time of crisis.

Why Are Children Placed in the Society’s Care?

• Most often, admission occurs as the end result of a number of stressors culminating in family breakdown.
The major precipitants of admission are:
• Serious parental inability to meet the very basic needs of the child (alcohol abuse, drug abuse, hospitalization, incarceration, lack of parenting skills).
• Child abuse; physical, sexual, emotional, neglect
• Parent-child conflict/child behaviour problems
• Mental health problems of parents
• Abandonment, whereby the parent is not willing to have the child in the home

Profile of Children Requiring Care
• Generally age 0-18 years with provision to remain in care beyond age 18 in specific situations.
• Children are of various racial, cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds.
• Some children are an only-child, while others are part of a sibling group.

What Other Supports are Provided?
• A Foster Care Coordinator is assigned to each home for support
• 24 hour backup (after-hours service) for emergency situations
• Ongoing training
• Foster parent support groups
• Periodic relief
• Access to a range of therapeutic support services that children in care may require

What are the Major Current Needs?
• Homes are needed for children of all ages, especially adolescents
• Homes for children with challenging behaviours
• Homes for Sibling groups
• Homes for native children

How Long Do People Foster?
• This varies greatly. Some families foster for a year or two, others, for many, many years. Every contribution is important, regardless of length. Some people only decide to foster for short periods of time (one weekend a month).

What Does the Application Process Involve?
• The best thing to do is call us first!
• The entire process may take from four to six months and is focused on the concept of “mutual selection”. The professionals and staff from the agency in conjunction with the gathered application work help determine whether fostering is an advisable undertaking. Much information is provided to assist applicants in determining what is best for them. If fostering is not suitable at a particular point in time, it may be at a later date. Alternatively, there may be other areas in which valuable contributions can be made, e.g. volunteer work, etc.
Where fostering may be possible, the following essentials are required:
1. Home study (minimum 3 interviews), all family members must be interviewed.
2. Personal References
3. Medical Reference
4. Criminal record check
5. Physical space and safety check of home
6. Pre-service training session
7. Employer reference

Are Foster Parents Paid?
• Foster parents receive a daily, tax-free reimbursement for the cost of living for the child. This rate starts at $25.71 per day/per child.
• The society covers medical and dental expenses for the foster child, as well as providing allowances for clothing, recreation, etc.