Fostercare in QUEBEC/Canada? They FINALLY called! :)

[HeatherAtHome]

Question: What does the process look like? I just spoke with someone on the phone and from what I understand there's a 3 hour long information meeting, a homestudy (where they check out DH and I, and our home) and that's it? NO training? Really?

I feel like I misunderstood her, but I said something about training and she said no, the info meeting, the home study and that's it. On the other hand, she also said it would take 1-2 years before we have kids in our home (needing to be matched etc) so I'm not sure what takes so long? 

Anyone foster in Qc, know of anyone who does, familiar with the process or know where I can find out the info? Someone is supposed to call back later this week but it's bugging me. 

In all my years of reading/searching I have never heard of fosterparents not having some sort of training. I guess it's fine, it's just.... surprising. 

[Polliwog]

I don't know the answer, but I'm thinking that CAN'T be right. There's HAS to be some form of training and what in the world would take 1-2 YEARS? Let us know when you get an answer.

[HeatherAtHome]

She made it sound like we'd be approved quick enough but then we'd wait for a while with an empty home until the "right" kid came along who NEEDED US. Emphasis on matching kids to the right home. 

What does the process look like for the rest of Canada? 

[miche28]

Hmmm... that doesn't sound quite right. I know that in Ontario (Toronto area), there's a homestudy as well as PRIDE training and then possibly specialized training. It can take some time to find the staff to do the homestudy and then also the training usually only happens at set times per year, but 1-2 years sounds like a lot. For infants and teens in our area, there's quite a need - I got the impression that once we had the paperwork ready it would be a matter of being inundated with cases, not a dry spell. Adoption or foster to adopt (where it's done) is a different story.

[Tjej]

I don't KNOW, but here in BC where I have inquired it does seem like it will be a long time from first contact to any possible child in home (we're going on 7 months from first contact and they haven't arranged an "interested/training" night).  So the 1-2 years thing sounds like it could easily happen here.

As far as the training, I think there is more here.

Tjej

[HeatherAtHome]

An update to say there has been no update. Walking that fine line between not wanting to be a bother and hoping that I'm not forgotten. I'll call next week I guess....

[quantumleap]

I'm not super familiar with PQ, but we didn't have any pre-req training in the nwt. As far as I understand it, PRIDE is only in three different provinces (ON, NB, and the third escapes me, AB maybe?). PRIDE here in NB was ridiculous. It could easily have been a 1-2 hour single session, but instead stretched out over 6 weeks and a crazy number of hours. It's hard to imagine that anyone interested in foster care wouldn't be familiar, at least in theory, with many of the accompanying issues. 

bah. screaming toddler...

[Smithie]

"Walking that fine line between not wanting to be a bother and hoping that I'm not forgotten..."

Heh. A year from now you'll be me, the Raging Pain In The Rear End.  And hopefully, a year from now I'll be The Lady In The Judge's Chambers Taping Our Adoption Ceremony. 

[imogenlily]

FWIW - In BC it's a two day training, and most of what they cover seems to be to cover themselves legally, rather than much information about really pertinent stuff, like RAD or other attachment issues, other common special needs, or the effects of abuse/neglect.

[HeatherAtHome]

Another update to say there's been no update! This was sort of my fault because I didn't call back right away to say "You didn't call me back!!!!" Life was busy and I wanted to make sure I was available. (What would be worse than making a fuss for them to call and then never be here to answer the phone! ;) ) And then we had our new roof put on. Woot! 

So I'm ready now. Just called and the woman was shocked that I didn't get called back way back when. So, she's passing the message along and I will be called back today. So she says. 

I'm feeling this urge to clean my house until it's spotless.  I have a feeling our "training" might involve a meeting in our home to chat and wouldn't it just be the way life goes that after all this waiting that when I DO get her/him on the phone they'll say "I'm 5 minutes away, I can just drop in!" 

[HeatherAtHome]

They called! They called!!!!  I've been told so many times that they would call without results that it's amazing it actually happened. 

There's an info meeting June 13th, in french. It will be a fairly large group (18-20 couples) and I can sit at the back and poke DH when I don't understand something. They use powerpoint (visuals!!!) and they're just up there talking away, no chit chat "get to know you" bs that I thought we might have to deal with. 

We could have kids in our home as early as 6 mths but not sooner. I told her our house is a little bit crazy but should be fine by then. She's understanding about renos etc. We had a bit of a laugh. She seems super nice (though she will not become my bosom friend as I heard that's bad to share TOO much, or be TOO trusting). She searches for words sometimes but totally understands english. 

I will go to info meeting. If I don't understand something I can a) ask questions during meeting, b) call her afterwards  and ask questions, c) wait until they have a 2-3 english couples, possibly in September for an english meeting. BUT she said, they do need fosterparents so if I could go to the french meeting to get the process started sooner that would be better. (They want me!!!)

And at first glance I look FANTASTIC: Stay at home, old enough (have to be 25) but not too old, open to adoption, in a long term relationship (12 years! so stable, no kids in home etc etc. I could hear her go "hm!" in delighted surprise now and then. 

So, it's Info meeting

fill out a detailed form

they analyze it, contact references

then we meet for personal talk

home study....

finished? And this person said that we could have kids in our home as early as 6 mths. HUGE difference from the 1-2 YEARS I was told before. 

I've been waiting to become a fosterparent for 4 years now. It feels so strange to have something move from that unreachable dream to something concrete. My heart is racing. 

[Tjej]

That's great!  I am in a similar spot to you right now (a few weeks ahead, I guess) - we waited a long time and then they finally did a group meeting thing in our area last month, so we made it work to attend.  We did the paperwork and I'll be going to the training at the end of June.  It's exciting to see it start to come together, eh?

 Tjej 

ETA:  For anyone who comes to the thread later to learn about fostercare in BC, Canada, I can tell a little more.  There is the initial interest session, paperwork, a 3 1/2 day training with info about FASD, Attachment, policies, lifebooks, foster parent support, etc.  More paperwork (background checks and the like), homestudy (takes a few days of meeting), more training depending on age of child/needs, talk with foster parents' resource social worker, required ongoing training which can begin before or after a home is a certified foster home (but is to be completed within 2 years and takes over 50 hours).  With delays of various lengths at each step, it takes a while to get there.  I suppose the time is part of weeding out people who aren't really interested. That is what I understand of it so far. :)

Edited by Tjej - 6/22/11 at 9:16pm

[Smithie]

So exited for you, Heather! 

[kim82]

Hi Heather, I'm also from Quebec and possibly interested in fostering a child. I'm glad they finally called you back! I was also wondering for your initial question.. will you need training, if so, how long? I'm thinking since you've gotten more information now you might know. Although if we're not in the same area it might not be that same but maybe it is..  Thanks!