THIS month is Foster Care Month, and even though there are only eight days left, how about it? Could you open up your home to a child in need of tender loving care? A little boy or a girl? Or maybe two brothers or sisters who have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own? If you are interested, call the Foster Care Unit at the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) on 231 8423 or 227 4082 or email fostercare.cpa@gmail.com.

In most cases, Foster children need respite with a Foster family until their parents sort themselves out or a suitable relative comes along who can care for them. Could you do this for a child? Some adults can nurture children regardless of what the child has been through or from where they came. They are good at making children feel at ease with their sincerity, friendship and warm, calming nature. Does this sound like you?

Foster children need more than a bed to sleep in, a roof over their heads and food on the table every day. They need supportive, considerate adults. For instance, if you are going to be a Foster Parent, you should be aware of the effects of childhood trauma and the significant importance of the Foster Parent’s role in child development. In addition, Foster Parents are only temporary guardians. Caring for a child and then letting them go is difficult for some people.

Young children in temporary care need the stability of a family setting rather than the institutionalised environment of a children’s home. Foster homes help children cope better with the trauma of separation. They are given more individualised attention from Foster Parents and fewer emotional, social and psychological adjustments are needed.

On the other hand, it is unlikely that foster children will blend into your family and overnight. Children need time, space and a comforting environment when separated from loved ones. They may even harbour feelings of abandonment or guilt that the separation was their fault. Although they are unaware and may seem fine on the surface, children in the formal care system need all the support they can get from caring adults.

Foster Parents provide a haven for children separated from their biological parents (or carers) for one reason or another. No child welcomes the ordeal of separation. Even if parents beat, neglect or physically molest them, their family is all they know, and regardless of circumstances, home is where these children would rather be. Separation can cause them distress; they may ‘act out’ differently or become withdrawn and introverted. Foster Parents must be flexible and understanding in these cases.

The ages of Foster children ranges from baby to teenager, and the length of stay can be just one night to six months, depending on the family circumstances. Sometimes siblings need to be fostered together, and occasionally the placement is extended due to any number of possible reasons. But whatever the reasons may be, you can rest assured that decisions are in the child’s best interest.

There are several stages to becoming a Foster Parent, but the first stage starts with you. Are you sure that you want to Foster children for the right reasons? Will you spend time getting to know your Foster child and build a trusting, reliable friendship? On the contrary, if your Foster child wants to be alone and barely eats or interacts with your family, could you help them come out of their shell?

Once they have bonded, nurtured and cared for a child, one of the hardest things Foster Parents have to do is give the child back to their biological parents. Foster Parents must embrace this as the child moves on with their family – this is progress. New Foster children will come along needing comfort and support, and the process will begin over again.

Foster parents must be ‘giving’ people and maybe a little selfless too – because It is not about what the child can do for them, but what they can do for the child that matters. They are a substitute family who treat the child as one of their own for the time being. Foster children can attend school and outdoor activities as other children. Officers at the Foster Care Unit (CPA) are on hand to give support and help with concerns that may arise for Foster Parents or children.

After you have given this topic some serious thought and concluded that you would like to be a Foster Parent, here are the steps to take and what to expect. 1) Visit the CPA head office on the corner of Broad and Charles streets in Georgetown and pick up an application form; call the number mentioned above and speak to a member of the Foster Care unit to find out more about Fostering a child. 2) You will have an interview with a CPA officer. 3) A Police background check is carried out to see if you have a criminal record. 4) A visit and inspection of your home are made to ascertain the Foster child’s sleeping arrangements and accommodation space for the Foster child. 5) You will meet with the Director and learn if your application is successful.

Children living in dysfunctional circumstances today may need your help tomorrow – consider Fostering. Children deserve to be safe from harm.

If you are concerned about the welfare of a child, call the CPA hotline on 227 0979 or write to us at childcaregy@gmail.com
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHILDCARE AND PROTECTION AGENCY,
MINISTRY OF HUMAN SERVICES AND SOCIAL SECURITY