FOSTERING FAQ

Priority is always given to reuniting children with family or extended family.  Since caregivers have had the opportunity to be involved in a child’s life from the moment they enter foster care, your family may be considered for adoption if it is in the child’s best interest. 

As a foster caregiver you will be required to be actively involved, committed and supportive of contact between children and their biological families. Communication between children and their families could occur by telephone, email, and visits, including virtual.  If there are any safety concerns, the child’s family will not know where you live.

 

One significant role of a caregiver is their commitment to support children by accompanying them to appointments, being present at their school events, and attending agency training and meetings etc. If the caregiver does not have a license, it is their responsibility to find an adult who is available and committed to helping them in this way. This person will require a G license, the standard $1,000,000 insurance coverage, a police check and proof of insurance. This will be addressed at the beginning of the application process.

The child is part of your family and should be included in your family vacations.  Under the right circumstances and with the proper preparations, arrangements can be made so the child can be included in your holiday. If you are travelling outside the country, the agency will need adequate time to prepare documentation. If it is not possible to take the child on vacation, other arrangements can be made for the child’s care.

There are no waiting lists therefore it is essential that Peel CAS have families prepared and ready to accept children into their homes on very short notice. As every child’s ethnicity and circumstances are different, we need diverse families to help out in many different ways. This is why Peel CAS constantly recruits new families to help children on a temporary basis through fostering and on a permanent basis through adoption. Being part of our team not only means physically taking children into your family but being prepared and ready to receive that child when they need you the most.

 

 

Our children’s needs are complex. Caregivers with various levels of skills, experience and training meet these needs. Traditional foster care is divided into three levels with each level meeting a different set of needs. The agency offers ongoing support and training that will help you build your skills and confidence as you develop in your role as caregiver.

 

 

Yes, usually one or two children are placed in a foster home at a time.  However, some of our experienced caregivers may legally care for a maximum of four children at any given time provided they have adequate space in their home. We are always in need of caregivers for sibling groups.