Becoming A Foster Parent

 Steps in becoming a Foster Parent

1. The initial step comes from YOU. What are your reasons for wanting to become a Foster Parent?

We need people:

• With patience, understanding, appreciation and love for children and youth, who are knowledgeable and experienced with children's needs and have a commitment to making a positive contribution to their lives;
• Who will maintain a stable, structured and positive home environment;
• Who have a willingness to participate in training opportunities to enhance and support their roles as caregivers;
• Who are willing to take an active role as part of a professional team working with children in care;
• Who value children's connections with their cultural heritage and families;
• Who live within the Vancouver/Richmond geographic area and have links to their community resources and services.

If you have these qualities and are willing to commit your time and abilities to the lives of Aboriginal children in care, we welcome you to join our circle.

2. The next step requires contacting our recruitment worker:

Barb Lyon (604) 216-6109

• Barb may take some initial information from you and send you a questionnaire to get started. The questionnaire is a helpful tool to assess yourself and your decision to continue the process to become a Foster Parent.
• Barb will invite you to a monthly information session held on the first Tueday of each month. The location of the meeting is 3284 East Broadway, Vancouver (On the corner of Broadway and Rupert near the Rupert skytrain station.) The meeting starts at 6:45 PM.

At the information session, the process of becoming a Foster Parent will be described. It consists of an application, references, consents, medical assessment, criminal record checks and a home study. All details of the paperwork will be explained to help speed the process. We take time to carefully evaluate every application to ensure the safety of the vulnerable children we place in foster homes.

3. The third step is the Home Study.

A Social Worker will arrange a number of visits with you to document details of your life and how it pertains to caring for children.   The worker will interview everyone in your home and discuss how fostering will change the dynamics in your household. We will want to know about how you will react to these changes and what kind of support system you have to maintain the care of the children.

The Home Study may appear quite intrusive at times and will touch on sensitive subjects of your personal life. Again, this is to ensure the safety of everyone in your home. When a home study is completed by the Social Worker and approved by the Clinical Supervisor, we will decide with you which children will be the best fit for your family.

4. The final step is the actual placement of a child in your home.

Time Frame:

The complete process may take between 2 and 3 months, and at times longer. We value your patience while the work is in progress.

Financial Supports:

Once a home is approved and the placement of a child is proposed, you will be asked to enter into a contract with VACFSS which outlines mutual responsibilities and financial compensation. The amount of compensation depends on the assessed skills of the Foster Parent and the level of service required by the child.

Other Supports:

A variety of supports are available when you become a Foster Parent. The BC Federation of Foster Parents, as well as The Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents, has many valuable resources to offer. Foster Parent groups meet regularly to provide peer support and helpful tips to make fostering successful and rewarding.

Training is essential and is provided by VACFSS and through our partner agencies. If a child's particular needs require specialized training, such training will be made available to you.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Foster Parent.

All my Relations.