Usma Nuu chah nulth

1. Usma Nuu chah nulth • Child & Family Services, since 1987. • 5001 Mission Road, Port Alberni • 1-877-722-3232 or (250) 724-3232

2. Larry Pond Director Ian Clark Intake/Family Service Team Supervisor Leah Clutesi Resource & Guardianship Supervisor Kelly Falkenberf Family Service Social Worker Northern Region Nichole Charlie Intake Social Worker Northern Region Ruth Charleson Family Service Social Worker Central Region Gillian McRae Intake Social Worker Central Region Daisy Edwards Family Service Social Worker Southern Region Kelly Lucas Intake Social Worker Southern Region John Mayba Guardianship Social Worker Geni Irlam Guardianship Social Worker Sandra Karlsen Guardianship Social Worker Crystal Ernst Guardianship Social Worker Terry McDonald Resource Social Worker Amber Severinson Resource Social Worker Delegated Social Workers under the CFCSA

3. Family Group Conferencing Aboriginal Supported Child Development Youth Outreach Worker Family Support Workers Julie Fontaine Ruby Ambrose Penny Matthews Linus Lucas, Mark Jenson & Eddy Mack Other Programs

4. Why do we need Resource Homes? • Keep children & youth in their community when they have been removed under the CFCSA. • Relief/Respite homes to give a break for other Resource homes & natural families. • Special Needs Agreement; stabilize the Childs health to return to parents, or parents learn skills to care for child while child is in care.

5. Removed under the CFCSA. Initially goal will be to return the child/children to parents Voluntary Care Agreement Special Needs Agreement How do children come into care?

6. How do I become a Foster Parent? • Call & speak with a Resource Social Worker, at USMA Nuu chah nulth it is Amber or Terry at 724-3232/1-877-722-3232 • If you attending an information session; leave your name & phone number for a Resource Worker to follow up.

7. What happens next? • You will be sent a Application package. In it there is the 1. Application form 2.Consent to Release of information 3.RCMP Criminal Record Check 4.Criminal Record Information (self-report) 5.Medial Form (to be filled out by your GP)

8. I’ve got the package, now what? • A Prior Contact Check is completed • Once you have filled out all the necessary paperwork send it back to the office. • A Resource file will be created. • Application is sent to supervisor for approval • Usually home visit scheduled.

9. Home study process begins. For a Regular/General Resource the study is 6 hours and is done over several home visits. • Once home study is completed, it is sent to the supervisor for approval. • Once Approved, a Resource Home Agreement is signed. • You are ready to take placements!

10. Types of Placements • Emergency • Relief/Respite • Short Term • Long Term • Restricted- you have relationship with the child & Resource is closed once the children are not with you. • Regular/General • Therapeutic/Levelled Homes.

11. How do I get a placement? • Your Resource worker will contact you when there are children/child that needs a placement. • You always have a choice, whether or not you want to take a placement. • If you agree, the Childs social worker will contact you & arrange to bring the children/child to your home.

12. Service expectations of Regular Caregivers • Care is focused on reassurance, consistency, & regular parenting type activities with guidance and supervision needed to develop normalized social skills and to ensure emotional and physical well-being.

13. Service Expectations of Level 1 Caregiver • Focus same as REGULAR caregivers. • With additional skills: • Demonstrated competence in carrying out prescribed interventions as identified in the child’s Plan of care. Also, caregiver is able to differentiate between the child’s transient symptoms & long standing problems, and knows when to seek assistance from professionals.

14. Service expectations of a Level 2 Caregiver • At this level- care, supervision and treatment are provided in an environment in which many activities are therapeutically designed to improve the childs’ social, emotional and educational functioning and to teach pro-social, adaptive skills.

15. Service expectations of a Level 3 Caregiver. • Same as Level 2, with the addition of: • Care givers are responsible for adapting strategies used with the child as required to meet the needs of the specific child. The caregiver may have specialized training to provide some therapeutic interventions within the family care home. Caregivers at this level need to consider if it is appropriate for them to have pets/animals in the family home.

16. For detailed expectations • Refer to the Service Expectations booklet. • In it, there are detailed caregiver expectations. As well as child characteristic.

17. Types of homes we need the most. • Infant Homes. Particularly Caregivers who are willing to become a Safe Baby Home, which requires taking the safe babies course. • Sibling Groups, many sibling groups are 3+ • Homes of youth, 13-19. Focus on teaching Independent living skills.

18. Support for Caregivers • Your Resource Social Worker • Fellow Caregivers, many communities have foster parent support groups. • Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents www.fafp.ca • BC Federation of Foster Parent Assoc. www.bcfosterparents.ca • Foster Parent Support Services Society www.fpsss.com • Foster Parent Support Line 1-888-495-4440

19. Other Things to know… • Record Keeping. It is expected that caregivers keep a log/progress reports for the children in your home. Recording progress, achievements, behaviors, visits, etc. Reports are given to the childs SW on a monthly basis. • Life Books, for each child in the home. • On-going training for caregiver.

20. Questions to ask yourself… • HOW WILL MY LIFESTYLE CHANGE IF I BECOME A FOSTER PARENT? • HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM BEING A FOSTER PARENT? • WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT RAISING A CHILD? • HOW DOES MY FAMILY FEEL ABOUT BEING A FOSTER FAMILY?

21. HOW DOES MY FAMILY FEEL ABOUT BEING A FOSTER FAMILY? • Does my partner also want to share his/her life with a foster child? How about my own children? • Have we discussed fostering as a family? • Are we secure and stable enough to add a foster child to our family? Will this cause undue stress? • Are we both ready to give the time and energy to a child, or will one of us invest more in a child than the other? Can we be a team? • Could we share our love with a child without other family members becoming jealous? • How will a child fit into our religious life? Are we willing to allow that child to pursue his/her own beliefs, or to choose not to attend church?

22. How will my children accept another child into their lives? Do they want to share their rooms, toys, friends, and parents with another child? • How will I feel about a child being removed from my home? • How do I feel about the child's birth parents and the problems they may have? • Am I able to understand that a child still loves his/her parents and that I should not interfere with this relationship? • What does my family have to offer a child who needs a good, stable, loving home? • Which of these questions do we need to discuss more thoroughly before making a decision?

23. WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT RAISING A CHILD? • Do I like children? Will I be able to put up with the noise and confusion? • How do I deal with my own frustration and anger? How do I handle other people's anger and frustration? • How easy is it for me to tell others what I want or need or what I expect from them? • How will I set my rules and enforce them? • Am I able to give a child the love he/she needs? Is it easy for me to show love? • What is discipline to me? Am I open to new ideas? • What will I do if a child doesn't cooperate with me, or refuses to follow my rules? • Can I keep the information that I learn about a child confidential?

24. HOW WILL MY LIFESTYLE CHANGE IF I BECOME A FOSTER PARENT? • What goals do I have for my life? What is important to me? Do I have the time and energy to care for a foster child? What age child will realistically be best for my family? Am I ready to give up some of my freedom, or arrange my lifestyle to include a child? Will I be willing to spend my time at home more, and socialize less? Can I afford my own expenses, knowing that compensation for having a foster child will be only enough for the child's needs? How will a child fit into my neighbourhood? How will being a foster parent change how I want to grow and develop? How much time am I willing to commit to a child? Am I willing and able to take a child to counselling sessions, doctor’s appointments, courts hearings and other regular appointments? Am I willing to attend counselling sessions with the child?

25. HOW CAN I BENEFIT FROM BEING A FOSTER PARENT? • Do I like doing things with children? Do I like activities that children could do also? • Do I want a child to be "Like me?" Should he/she call me Mom or Dad? • How will I view a child's different values and ideas? Will I attempt to get the child to accept my values? • Do I want a boy or girl foster child? Do I want one, or more? How about brothers or sisters? Teenagers? What ages? • Do I want acceptance or gratitude from a foster child? • Why do I really want to take a foster child into my home?

26. Thanks for Attending!