To Become A Foster Parent
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
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What kind of people are you looking for to become foster parents?
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Foster parents are regular people. They can be couples or singles, have their own children or be childless. They come from a variety of cultural and spiritual backgrounds.
They receive specialized training in order to meet the individual needs of foster kids.
Mostly we are looking for people who:
- care about children and families
- are committed to what is best for children
- are ethical and professional
- are willing to learn and to receive support and training
- are open-minded and flexible
- have space available in their home
- have a family who shares their desire to open their home
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Why are foster kids not living with their parents?
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There are many reasons why kids cannot live with their parents. Sometimes parents are coping with issues such as drug and alcohol dependency, domestic violence, inability to provide the basic necessities for their kids. Sometimes a parent has an illness or has died, and the child is not cared for. Sometimes parents can’t cope with the needs of their kids.
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What is the process to become a foster parent, and how long does it take?
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The process is set out by the Provincial Government Ministry of Children and Youth Services. All fostering agencies must follow this standardized process. The length of time is dependent upon access to training, readiness of the home for licensing, and the ability of the applicant(s) to turn in their paperwork. In simple terms, the process looks like this:
- Call Fostering Connections at (403) 251-8057
- Read information package
- Have initial telephone interview
- Fill out application and all related paperwork
- Take Pre-service Training (24 hours)
- Have home assessment completed
- Get your home licensed as a foster home
- Take in your first foster child!
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Do I get paid to be a foster parent?
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Instead of pay, you get what is called a “per diem”, which is a daily amount of money to offset the cost of raising the foster child. This money is paid to you monthly, and is tax-free. Out of this money, you are expected to pay for food, clothing, spending allowance, and other costs associated with raising a child. You do not have to pay for the child’s recreation, medical/dental, school, or transit costs. Fostering Connections’ per diem rates are competitive with all other foster care agencies.
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Do both parent couples receive training ?
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Yes. In a two-parent family, both parents must apply to become foster parents, and both parents must also attend and maintain all mandatory training.
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