Fostering development, growth, and spirit.
Foster Care
Children are referred to foster care programs, such as ours, via Children and Family Services. Children placed in foster care are:
- Under the age of 18,
- Are unable to remain in their own homes or with family members,
- Are in need of a safe, nurturing, temporary home with foster parents who are trained in how to deal with behavioural issues through trauma informed practice.
Funded/ Accessed by: Children’s Services
When children are unable to remain in their own homes or with family members, Enviros offers Foster Care for children under the age of 18.
Liaising with approximately 30 foster homes in Calgary and area, the Foster Care program has space for over 72 children, from just days old, up to age 18. Foster home environments vary; there are both single parents acting as foster parents as well as couples and families. Children may be placed in a single family detached home or an apartment setting depending on the foster family.
Foster caregivers are matched with a child based on numerous factors, including the specific needs (such as medical or mental health issues) of the child, as well as the foster parent’s capacity to meet those needs.
Often children arriving to Foster Care have suffered neglect, abuse, trauma and/or are battling health issues.
Enviros’ Foster Care Support Workers (FCSW) are a valuable resource for parents. Through regular meetings, phone calls and in-person visits, foster parents are supported in their work. FCSWs may be called upon to attend school meetings, medical appointments or to ensure that the foster child is getting all the help they need.
Children are referred into the Enviros Foster Care program via Children’s Services following a careful screening. The Government of Alberta oversees the selection and training of all foster parents in the province, which includes educating prospective parents on how to deal with the manifestation of traumatic behaviours through Trauma Informed Practice, among other initiatives.
Successful outcomes are monitored using questionnaires designed to measure current abilities and situations against what was going on in the child’s life when they arrived in Foster Care. While there is no typical length of stay, Foster Care is not designed to be a permanent placement for children, and ideally they are returned to parents, or placed with guardians, family members or another more permanent home environment once they leave Foster Care.
Interested In Becoming a Foster Parent in Calgary?
If you are interested in the opportunity to be involved in the life of a child who needs special care, please contact us for more information.
As a foster parent, you will be providing a substitute family life experience for a child. In many cases, foster children are placed out of their home due to abuse or neglect. While in a foster home, the child is given a safe and nurturing environment for a temporary or extended period of time. At Enviros, we ensure that foster children have the right kind of care in the right kind of environment.
Enviros provides Foster parents with many opportunities including training programs, annual celebrations, and social events. Also, foster families have access to a 24 hour support line.