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Therapeutic Caregiving
STRIDE – In need of caregivers
Stride’s Therapeutic Foster Care model is rooted in one simple belief: healing happens in homes, not systems. We combine cultural, therapeutic, neuro-developmental, and relational approaches to meet children and youth with complex, trauma-impacted needs where real life happens. The science of our work is the intensive preparation, coaching, and clinical support we provide to Caregivers. The art is weaving that care into everyday moments—shared meals, quiet check-ins, ordinary routines—so children and youth feel genuinely cared about, not “in care.”
Read About our Caregiver Support Model Here
Caregivers are the heart of this work. As the primary change agents, they open their homes and build the relationships that make healing possible. Our short-term, family-based model primarily supports children and youth in intentionally prepared homes licensed for up to two youth. With a dedicated Therapeutic Team providing wraparound, trauma-informed support, Caregivers are never alone—and youth gain the stability, connection, and belonging they need to move forward.
If you have room in your home and in your heart and you are interested in becoming a Therapeutic Caregiver, please contact Program Manager Carlie Burnett at 403 829-8082 ([email protected]) or message below. Carlie is available to answer general questions and can also schedule you for a more detailed information session.
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Funded by: Alberta Children’s Services
In addition to enhanced compensation, Therapeutic caregivers are provided with extensive training and wraparound support, including access to a therapist, family coach, and youth connector. As a core member of the youth’s care team, the caregiver plays a vital role in the young person’s therapeutic journey. These comprehensive supports create a structured, collaborative, and well-supported environment that empowers caregivers to confidently parent and advocate for youth while promoting stability, growth, and healing.
Why Become a Caregiver with STRIDE?
Therapeutic Caregivers change a young person’s life in the most meaningful way—through everyday moments, real relationships, and a safe, loving home. Instead of working within a system that feels distant or clinical, you become the heart of the healing. Offering consistency, culture, and care to youth who have experienced significant trauma, helping them feel cared about, not managed or “in care.”
As a Therapeutic Caregiver, you are never expected to do this work alone. You receive intensive preparation, specialized training, ongoing coaching, and clinical support from a dedicated Therapeutic Team that walks alongside you. Your home is intentionally prepared and supported to meet complex needs, with placements limited to up to two youth so you can truly be present. This role is demanding—but deeply purposeful. If you are drawn to building meaningful relationships, offering stability where it has been missing, and being a powerful part of a young person’s healing journey, becoming a Therapeutic Caregiver offers a unique opportunity to create lasting impact while supporting growth, resilience, and hope in the lives of children and youth.
Caregivers receive all the pre-service and in-service training that foster parents receive, additional training specialized for their unique role as Caregivers, and customized training to develop specific skill and expertise. Members of the Caregivers’ personal community (children,
extended family, close friends, cultural connections, etc.) will have the opportunity to receive training designed to help them better understand the Stride program and Caregiver role, the impacts of trauma, and how they can be supportive. Details of the training plan are described in a
later section.
We know that junior program staff improve through direct experience, observation of skilled coworkers, and the reflective supervision that helps them integrate knowledge with on- the-ground application. Yet Caregivers typically have few if any opportunities for real-time, observation-based feedback. Stride will provide opportunities for Caregivers to gain hands-on
experience through a practicum-like training phase.
A coach approach will guide the support style offered by Caregiving Coaches. Coaching is a communication process that encourages and supports the development and application of knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is growth-oriented and strength-based with a focus on solution- based thinking. This approach is centered on openness, collaboration, and support of others. It
models the respectful and trust-building approach Stride encourages Caregivers to adopt with the youth in their home. It engenders the atmosphere of learning and collaboration that will help Caregivers and Coaches give and receive honest feedback that will inspire continuous improvement. Developing good feedback habits and routines will allow for the collaborative discovery of what went wrong and what could be done differently next time when issues do arise.
Our approach is centered on openness, collaboration, and support of others. Itmodels the respectful and trust-building approach Stride encourages Caregivers to adopt with the youth in their home. It engenders the atmosphere of learning and collaboration that will help Caregivers and Coaches give and receive honest feedback that will inspire continuous improvement. Developing good feedback habits and routines will allow for the collaborative discovery of what went wrong and what could be done differently next time when issues do arise.
Coaches will meet with Caregivers weekly to discuss the youth’s progress, review the Future Quest, discuss how the Circle is functioning, and address any emerging concerns. These meetings are focused on the youth and provide an opportunity for solution-finding, celebration, and recalibrating efforts based on the previous week. Coaches identify additional training needs, opportunities for support, and provide a compassionate ear for Caregivers. Skill-building and customized training may be part of these sessions. Circle members, including cultural supports and biological family, may be invited. Generally, youth will not be part of these meetings to allow Caregivers to fully express their concerns without fear of interrupting their relationship with the youth.
Regular program meetings bring together Caregivers and Team members for relationship building, training, mutual support, and cultural learning. Members of youth’s Circles may be invited as appropriate.
The Caregiver role blends professional and personal elements uniquely as Caregivers navigate their lives in concert with the care they provide. Caregivers will be encouraged to embrace the role they play and recognize that there are others who are also striving to help high- needs youth in the same way. We want them to feel not only part of a team, but part of a movement. We will encourage Caregivers to form mutually supportive bonds with one another from the early days of on-boarding. If there are opportunities for connection with Caregivers in the city and the province, we will encourage that also. We will set up WhatsApp groups, include opportunities for social connection at training events, arrange to attend cultural events together, explore community resources, etc. to encourage peer connection. As the program matures, opportunities for mentorship from more experienced Caregivers will be established.
Cultural and Wellness Supports
Caregivers will have access to Indigenous healing teachings and ceremony as a routine aspect of their involvement with Stride but also on an individual basis as needed. In addition, western-influenced self-care and supports for wellness will be integrated into program trainings and activities. Stride’s therapist will be available to Caregivers who require short-term support to address issues arising from their caregiving role such as debriefing a violent episode, coping with a youth’s suicide attempt, or support for parenting in the context of caregiving.
Crisis and Individualized Supports
The Stride program provides 24-hour on-call and crisis support for youth and Caregivers. On-call provides a safety net and support system for times of great need. Sometimes these situations can be averted through prior planning and individualized supports. Regular Check-ins and Coaching Sessions will help alert the Team to emerging issues requiring one-to-one support. The Circle may identify additional supports that are required to support the Future Quest. Caregivers may need additional respite for a hospital stay. Cultural people may advise support for the youth to attend ceremony. Specialized clinical consultation or services may be required. The capacity of the program to respond nimbly in these situations supports youth and Caregivers and may serve to stabilize the placement when it is threatened.
Contact Stride
