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Fostering is providing a stable home environment to children and young people who are unable to live with their birth or extended family for a period of time.
A Foster Care Provider commits to caring for children and young people full time, in their home. Within the role of Foster Care Provider, it is expected that not only will you meet the basic day-to-day needs of the young people in your care, but that you will also provide opportunities that contribute to a young person’s growth, development, and healing. This includes helping them to develop positive, lasting relationships; creating an environment where the young person can feel safe and cared for; supporting the young person in their schooling and being an advocate for their learning needs; ensuring they have access to and supporting them in recreational programs, and supporting their mental health and helping them access therapeutic supports and resources.
Fostering is a commitment and a sacrifice. It requires sharing your space and your time and it isn’t for everyone. If you are a person that can accept and roll with change, think outside the box, have the patience to spare, are able to dig deep when you are being tried and tested, and have a sense of humour, you likely have the makings of a great Foster Care Provider.
At Satori, we make sure that you are given all the details you need upfront, in order to make an informed decision. When you are ready to move forward, we are with you every step of the way.
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The children and young people who come into the care of Satori are from diverse backgrounds and have had their own individual experiences. They each have their own unique set of needs, and their own unique strengths and talents.
Children and youth come into foster care through no fault of their own. In some circumstances, their birth family may be unable to care for them due to death, illness, or mental health challenges. Sometimes they come into foster care due to being exposed to risk through family conflict or because their birth parents are struggling with substance misuse and addictions. In other situations, they may be living in an unsafe environment where they are being exposed to domestic violence, abuse, or neglect.
Whatever the reason, the goal of foster care is to temporarily provide a safe, nurturing, supportive environment, until a child can safely return to their birth family, known as reunification. In some situations, reunification may not be an option. When this is the case, children in foster care may instead be placed with other family members or kin. Some may go on to be adopted. Some may stay long-term in foster care until they are young adults and go on to live independently or semi-independently.
What is important to understand, is that no matter the circumstances, it is very likely that children requiring foster care have experienced some degree of trauma. This includes grief and loss and may also include trauma from abuse, neglect, and disrupted attachments.
Trauma plays out very differently for everyone, no matter the age or experience. It is common for young people who have experienced trauma to present with maladaptive behaviours. This can include trouble sleeping, difficulty managing emotions, underdeveloped social skills, impulsive responses and reactions, lying, hoarding, taking things that don’t belong to them, tantrums and meltdowns. Kids may display different behaviours depending on their various experiences. Although fostering is very rewarding it can also be challenging and requires patience, understanding, and commitment.
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At Satori, our small team approach ensures continuity of services and a commitment to be with you every step of the way. Our Home Study Practitioners are the same people that will support you after you start fostering (as Resource Supervisors) and the same people that match referrals to your family. By having our team fulfill these roles simultaneously, we can ensure that the people matching children to you and your family and supporting you in your journey, know you and your family
First Step – Express your interest.
When you first connect with us, you will receive all the information you need in order to make an informed decision. We will answer your questions and discuss the process. We will help you learn about what you can expect and broaden your understanding of what fostering will mean for your family.
Pre-Screening
To start the official process, you will be asked to complete an application. Once submitted, you will be contacted regarding the next steps.
Orientation, Interviews & Documentation
Satori uses a Home Study Program called SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation). Once you have decided to pursue your journey of becoming a Foster Care Provider, we will provide you with the SAFE Questionnaire 1, and also set up a schedule of times to meet. These meetings allow us to get to know you and your family, which is helpful for assessing the level of support and services your family will need, as well as the profile of the child that will be best matched to your family.
Our meetings will consist of:
Documentation
As part of the application process, we complete several references and background checks for all potential Foster Care Providers:
Preparation Training
All Foster Care Providers are required to attend Satori’s “Fostering Skills Training” prior to their first placement. This training covers the following topics:
Home Study Report
After all documents are collected and interviews completed, the Home Study Practitioner will write a Home Study Report. This report will outline details collected in the interviews, as well as recommendations for profiles that would be considered a good match. You will have the opportunity to review the Home Study Report prior to its finalization. A copy will also be provided to you.
Common inquiries about all aspects of the fostering process.
The MCCSS permits foster care providers to care for up to 4 children at a time. However, it is important to us that our Foster Care Providers have the time, energy, and patience to support foster children/youth and to be responsive to their needs. Most of our foster homes have no more than 2 children/youth placed at one time. More than two children/youth will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will depend on the skill level of the foster care provider(s), how many care providers are in the home and the needs of the children.
The length of stay will vary with the circumstance. Some children and youth will be in the process of reuniting with natural or biological families, some are awaiting adoptions, while others will require long-term foster care placements as they prepare to move on to independence. When the placement is intended to last until the young person transitions into independent living, we look for care providers who are committed to teaching life skills and maintaining a positive relationship with the young person even after they have “moved out”.
If adoption is an option for the child/youth placed in your home, you will be notified. If you are interested in adopting a child/youth placed in your home, Satori Homes can facilitate conversations with the child/youths Placing Agency to explore the options and process. The strength of your relationship with the child/youth is one of the many factors that would be considered. While we don't process adoption applications, we can assist in facilitating the process.
No. Children/youth’s needs range from moderate to very complex. The kind of care provided will depend on the Foster Care Providers' level of training and experience and the best fit for your family. The training and experience will also determine the level of compensation. Foster Care Providers can also choose to foster part-time or full-time or for short-term or long-term placements.
Being a Foster Care Provider is not considered "employment." At Satori Homes, however, we advocate for the professionalization of foster parenting. We recognize the extensive "work" required and recruit people who not only possess a commitment and a desire to support a child or youth in their home but who are organized, have good time management skills, and can present themselves in a professional manner. Being a foster care provider requires a specific skill set as well as a commitment to attend ongoing professional development. It also requires knowing how to work within a multi-disciplinary team. There are duties and responsibilities, that may often change, and foster care providers need to be flexible, adaptive, and creative. To ensure Foster Care Providers are adequately compensated, can provide for the child/youth placed in their home, and don't carry any financial burden taking on a foster child, we provide a competitive, non-taxable per diem for each child/youth placed. The per diem for full-time Foster Care Providers ranges between $1672-$2281/month/child and is dependent upon experience, training, and skill sets. Respite Foster Care Providers earn a daily rate of $60/day for every 12-24 hour period. In addition, Satori Homes will provide (or arrange for) funds or reimbursement for the following:
A foster care placement is most successful when foster care providers have had the time to fully prepare themselves for the fostering journey, and when our Resource Team has been able to extensively learn about you and your family. This helps us with matching. At the very least you can expect the process to take 4-6 months. On occasion, if you have recent previous experience fostering including applicable and transferable training and updated documentation, the process can move a little more quickly. In other situations, depending on your availability, it could take closer to 8-10 months.