N.S. looking for more foster parents, especially African Nova Scotians

“Which are pretty material increases, and still … we want to do more,” MacLellan said.

She said work is also being done to reduce approval-process red tape, and on recruitment efforts in African Nova Scotian communities as part of boosting the numbers of available foster parents.

“These measures contributed to an increase of more than 80 foster parents in the last year and we still are always looking for more foster parents,” MacLellan said.

Leonard Doiron, the province’s executive director of Child, Youth and Family Supports, told the committee there is an increased emphasis for social workers to delve into foster children’s backgrounds in order to address cultural needs.

He said greater efforts are being made to gather information which is often noted in the files of social workers, although there is no formal tracking process in place.

They have also increased outreach efforts, he said.

“Our teams are working very hard to work with community groups to give them voice and choice and to inform us about what their needs are.”

Later, Doiron said the numbers provided to the committee included about two-thirds of children under the province’s care, noting that foster care isn’t appropriate for all children.

He said although recruitment numbers are on an upward trend, the needs remain for foster parents who can provide more specialized levels of care and for homes better suited to a child’s cultural background.

The biggest challenge, Doiron said, is the need to adapt the foster program to meet the needs of diverse modern families, where most often both parents work outside the home.

“The needs of the children are different, the prospective foster parents, their needs are different, he said. “All of these things have to be re-thought and transformed.”

NDP committee member Susan Leblanc believes the government funding hike for foster families has helped, but she said a bigger help would be more resources at the “front end” for families who are in crisis.

“So that perhaps we don’t need as many foster families because children can stay in their homes and families can stay together with the proper supports,” said Leblanc.

Progressive Conservative Barbara Adams also applauded the changes, but called for more training resources for potential foster parents.

“The more we can do to help the foster parents succeed and have an enjoyable experience the better,” Adams said.

The total cost of foster care in 2017-18 was $15.7 million, including for per diem payments, competency payments and the maintenance of children in care.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

N.S. looking for more foster parents, especially African Nova Scotians

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