Foster Care Program Outline

Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services is licensed to provide foster care services under the Child and Family Services Act. The agency is responsible for recruiting foster parents; conducting home studies; approving and supervising foster homes; providing support to foster parents; receiving referrals for placements from CAS; and matching placement requests with available foster care resources. and to maintain the necessary links with the placing agency and collaterals to ensure that the needs of the child(ren) and foster parent are met, while the child(ren) are in care.

Purpose

The Foster Care Program provides temporary family-based care within the First Nations Membership of the United Chiefs and Council of Manitoulin and Wikwemikong Unceded Territory. The Foster Care Program continually reinforces Native values, customs and traditions by maintaining and supporting the cultural bond between the child in care and his/her community.

This tertiary level of prevention services is provided to children when child maltreatment has occurred. It focuses on children who have been abused or neglected. Tertiary services are more intrusive due to the risk of reoccurrence and the seriousness of the matter, most often referrals, treatment services, safe homes, specialized counselling, and the use of residential and/or foster care placements are the result/outcome.

Children under a temporary care agreement or those that require protection services under the Child and Family Act, are provided with a familiar environment, either it be with family, extended family, in their own community or a neighbouring community. Eliminating geographic and cultural isolation. Reducing the interruption and imbalance of regular activity such as school change over and other stability measures in a child’s life, which will ultimately minimize any trauma and undue stress.

Licensing

The Child and Family Services Act and accompanying regulations along with the Ministry procedural and policy directives, form the basis for licensing and outline the minimum requirements of a service provider. This licensing is a systematic means of assessing whether or not, a basic level of care and safety is being provided to children in care.

Advancement

Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services Foster Care Department has continued to enhance services through the development of exceptional programs for foster families and foster children, specifically the delivery of the Therapeutic Foster Care program that has been implemented in 2005-06 and is aimed to offer care for children between the ages of 6 – 12 years of age that present high need behaviours and require a treatment approach to experience success within a home environment.