The role of the foster parent is to provide temporary care to children in our agency’s care in a family setting, where the child can grow mentally, emotionally, physically, educationally, spiritually and culturally.  In order to ensure that the highest quality of care is provided, it is critical that the responsibility of foster parents are clearly understood.

 Foster parent responsibilities include:

• to provide care and supervision to meet the child’s needs and to cooperate with the agency and other community resources in achieving the objectives
• to respect the confidentiality of information concerning the child and their biological family
• to accept and support the biological parents of the child and to assist and cooperate in visits between the child and their family
• to share with the agency all information about the child’s progress or difficulties in their daily living, health or adjustment to the home, school or community
• to encourage and supervise school attendance, participate in teacher conferences, and keep the child’s caseworker updated regarding any special educational needs
• to attend to the regular and/or special medical, optical and dental needs of the foster child
• to encourage and promote the child’s participation/involvement in their religious/spiritual and cultural beliefs
• to have a plan acceptable to the agency for the provision of care and supervision of the child by a competent person whenever the foster parent is absent from the home
• to keep school and achievement records of the child, including photographs, and to present this material to the agency when the child is discharged
• to recognize the agency’s legal rights regarding the child and its final responsibility for placement and other major decisions affecting the child
• to encourage and support the foster child’s participation in school activities, leisure time activities, community activities and his/her own interests
• to notify the agency immediately of changes in their family composition, travel plans, serious illnesses, hospitalization or in the case of an accident to the foster child or any member of the foster family

Our agency has four areas in which an individual can become a caregiver with our agency:

Kinship Care

Kinship care is when an individual who has a pre-existing relationship with a child agrees to care for that child with the agency’s support.  Kinship families have a Kinship Worker attached to their home that is there to provide support and supervision to the family.  Kinship workers are in the home every three months and conduct annual reviews to keep the homes license up to date.

General Foster Care

General foster care is when an individual comes forward to care for children and youth with general needs and who need placement for a short or longer period of time. General caregivers will have a Resource Development Worker attached to their home who is that is there to provide support and supervision to the family.  General caregivers are required to be licensed before a child is placed in the home and will be relicensed every year.  They are also required to attend training.

Specialized Foster Care

Specialized foster care is when an individual who has previous experience and training comes forward to care for our level 4 and level 5 children and youth. These caregivers will have met with our specialized team before licensing to discuss their fit for the program.  Specialized caregivers have a Clinical Case Manager attached to their home who is there to support and supervise them as they care for our highest needs youth. Treatment caregivers are required to attend training and support meetings. They are also required to be licensed before a child is placed in the home and will be relicensed every year.

Emergency Foster Care

Emergency foster care is when an individual is open to caring for children and youth who need urgent short term care.  Emergency caregivers are required to have the capacity to care for children who we may not have a lot of information about and who do not have daycare or school during the day.  Due to the short term and emergency nature of this form of caregiving, caregivers are required to have the ability to care for children during the day throughout the duration of the child’s time in your home.  Emergency caregivers will have a Resource Development worker attached to their home who is there to supervise and support their home.  Emergency foster parents are required to attend training.  They are also required to be licensed before a child is placed in the home and will be relicensed every year.

L.I.F.E (Live In Family Enhancement)

LIFE is a one year program where a foster parent cares for a child who has been in our agencies care and their parent who is in their final stages of reunification.  The goal of the LIFE program is to empower parents and give them the skills to parent their children independently. Parents in this program are carefully matched to LIFE caregivers, their background checks have been completed and they qualify to be on EIA.  This an intensive program where the caregiver and LIFE worker works closely with the parent to assist them to parent independently.  The LIFE social worker supports and supervises this home and is in the home every two weeks.  LIFE caregivers are expected to attend training and are required to be licensed prior to a child being placed in the home.

Individuals interested in becoming foster parents must first speak to our intake worker about their interest in becoming a caregivers with our agency.  Individuals then must attend our Foster Parent Orientation session to learn more about MCFCS and what we believe is important for you to know before you apply. As part of the screening process individuals must satisfactorily complete a Criminal Record Check, Prior Contact Check, Child Abuse Registry Check and they must submit references and get medical clearance from their doctor. 

Following the initial screen process the individual or family will take part in the home study process.  MCFCS uses the SAFE Home Study model which consists of 3-4 interviews and a home walk through.  The process from when an application is received to when the home study is completed is 3-5 months depending on how fast checks come back.

Foster parents are paid by direct deposit twice a month in arears of actual days a child is in their home.  A foster parent will receive a basic maintenance amount that goes towards caring for a child’s basic needs including food, utilities, clothing, personal hygiene items and allowance.  Some foster parents may receive a fee for service in addition to basic maintenance which is a daily rate for children and youth with additional needs.  All of a child’s medical expenses are covered and there are additional funds given for back to school, birthdays and Christmas.  There are funds in place for a child to take part in activities such as swimming lessons or soccer and there are separate funds available for a child to attend camp.  Foster parents are also able to access fund for daycare, respite and support which is done in consultation with their worker.

Every foster parent within MCFCS has a dedicated worker attached to their home that is there to support them on their fostering journey.  Their worker is there to help them navigate the different challenges that arise as a parent and to help them work through parenting issues.  Their worker is also their advocate within the CFS system and is can be their voice on this journey.  Foster parents are also invited to take part in a variety of different training workshops offered by the Authority.  The agency has a training calendar that comes out three times a year with a variety of different training to help you navigate what is taking place in hour home.  The agency also offers a variety of opportunities for caregivers to learn about the Metis cultural alongside the children and youth in their home through activities such jigging, fiddling, arts and crafts nights and ceremonies.

It starts with calling our inquiry line.  Callers leave their email or mailing address on the message and they are sent a package of information and an intake form, which they mail back to us.  Once we have received this, the caller’s name will be put on the list for the next orientation and they will be contacted regarding the dates. Once someone has attended orientation, they will be given an application package to complete and return to us.

Right now it takes roughly a year for individuals after they have submitted their application

Yes, you have to attend orientation.  Orientation is not a training on how to be a foster parents, its things to be aware of when considering fostering with our agency. We ask everyone to come, even people who have worked in the industry for years.  We want everyone to get the same information and they can be fully prepared to work with us when they start fostering.

• • Every agency should have an Orientation that everyone is expected to attend, it is in the standards. You should be aware if an agency does not require you to attend one.

Fostering is not a means to adoption. In the province of Manitoba fostering is considered temporary in nature, if you are looking for permanence that is adoption. If a person is Metis, they can apply to adopt through our agency. If not, they need to go through the General Authority.

Our agency does not generally license people for short term/emergency homes.  We are looking for people who are open to caring for a child through their journey with the agency. Sometimes that is two weeks sometimes that is until they are 18 years old.  Our goal is not to move children. Likewise, we cannot promise permanence, so if you are looking to care for kids just in just a long-term capacity, you need to be prepared for them to leave as well.

Our goal is for children to attach to their caregivers, this is how they thrive, grow and develop. We know that when children don’t feel secure with their parents, their emotional, mental, and physical development is hindered.  The role of the foster parents is to attach to the children in their home, while still supporting the reunification/birth family process.

Yes, it is an expectation of our agency that foster parents meet the birth family when safe to do so and support birth family contact when possible.  Not every agency puts an emphasis on this, but our agency believes that that birth family connection is critical for a child. It helps reduce a child’s stress and confusion around being in care and helps create a safe and normal environment for them to attach to their foster parent.

Fostering is not considered a form of income when you are with a CFS agency. You do get reimbursed for the funds that you put out. You do not make money fostering, but you should also not lose money.