Becoming a foster family for children and youth

What you need to know to become a foster family

Why become a foster family?

To make a positive difference in a child's life!

Foster families dedicate themselves daily to creating an exemplary helping, supporting, giving and loving environment for the children in their care.

Little by little, their unfailing efforts shape their foster children’s future into one of growing, blossoming, trusting and loving! 

What are the main requirements for becoming a foster family?  

Whether you're a single person or a couple, you can become a foster family! The important thing is to have time, energy, attention, love and a suitable living environment to offer a child or adolescent. It's also essential to have personal, professional and financial stability.

Here are the main criteria for becoming a foster family

• Be age 18 or over; 
• Be a Canadian citizen or have permanent resident status; 
• Have no past criminal record related to foster care;
• Have not filed any action under any insolvency (bankruptcy) law in Canada in the past three (3) years;
• Have never had a housing resource contract terminated for cause;
• Have the physical space to accommodate a child, meeting the standards of safety, hygiene and comfort; 
• Provide a sufficient number of communal areas suitable for all the activities of daily living; 
• Have a bedroom available, measuring at least 80 square feet, with a window and furnishings adapted to the child's needs;
• Demonstrate psychological, marital and family stability;
• Possess good budget management skills; 
• Be available to give priority to this project: if you are expecting a biological child, are in the process of assisted reproduction or international adoption, or have a baby under a year old, we suggest you postpone your plan to become a foster family. The child you accept into your foster family will need you to be available to take care of him or her. 

What's expected of a foster family

To be able to host one or more children, the foster family must commit to: 

• Treating the child or teenager in your care like any other member of the family; 
• Devoting time and energy to a baby, child or adolescent and meeting their specific needs for affection, attention and care; 
• Providing a secure, stable, welcoming and stimulating home for the short, medium or long term; 
• Being able to accept that this child has a difficult life history that may be reflected in his or her behaviour; 
• Being willing to work with the child's natural parents; 
• Being available and willing to work as part of a team with youth protection workers, professionals and specialists involved with these children and adolescents.

Types of foster families

The regular foster family

Would you like to open your home to a child under 18 who needs a place to live? This child's placement with your family could last from a few days to several years, depending on his or her situation.   Also, depending on your personal and family situation, certain characteristics of these children can be taken into account to ensure a balance between meeting their needs and the specifics of your living environment.

You can also offer to take in a child at any time of the day as part of a 24/7 emergency placement, as children can sometimes be in urgent need of accommodation as part of a youth protection intervention.  In fact, occasionally, a child's situation can require immediate accommodation, and this can occur in the evening, at night or on weekends.  In such cases, the child will generally need accommodation for a period of 24 to 72 hours.

 The “mixed bank” foster family

Would you like to make a long-term commitment to a child and eventually adopt him or her if this becomes possible?  Depending on how the child's situation evolves, there are three possible scenarios:

•    The child could be placed with your family until he or she comes of age; 
•    You could become the child’s legal guardian; or 
•    You could adopt the child. 

Regardless of the final outcome for the child entrusted to your care, you will play a significant role in his or her life, supporting and working with the child on a daily basis through the various stages, until one of these three scenarios becomes a reality.  This is a caring commitment to a child who has little chance of returning to his or her natural family.

Are you still interested in this idea? Children in your region need your help! 

Here's how to become a foster family:

Step 1: Register for an information session

This is an initial group meeting, either virtual or in-person, to provide you with more information and, above all, answer your questions. You'll learn everything you need to know to take your plan one step further. Register now and have your questions ready!

By phone

• To become a regular foster family, register for the information session by calling 1 866 420-1584
• To become a mixed bank foster family, register for an information session by calling 1 800 641-4315, ext. 14788

By online form (in French)

Step 2: Assessment of your candidacy and your home environment

This process generally takes four to five meetings with a professional evaluator from the youth centre establishment. That sounds like a lot, you might say... In fact, we prefer to spread the process over shorter meetings of around two hours each, to make it more user-friendly. We'll ask you questions about yourself, your health, your habits, your values and what you hope to offer the child you'll be taking in. 

Overall, the evaluator will address the following items:

•    Your physical and psychological health, your lifestyle, your values and what you hope to bring to a child entrusted into your care; 
•    Your marital and family dynamics (if applicable);
•    Your ability to meet children's needs and provide the services expected of a foster family;
•    The characteristics of the children you'd like to take in, and how they fit with your environment;
•    Your home's compliance with standards and criteria in terms of safety, hygiene and comfort.

Step 3: Signing of a contractual agreement

Now comes the moment you've been waiting for, and that we've been hoping for just as much: a favourable decision on your proposal! Once we've officially become partners by signing a contractual agreement, the question becomes: when will you welcome a child?

And what if your proposal is unsuccessful? In such cases, the evaluator will take time to inform you and explain the reasons for our decision. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

Who are these children that are placed with foster families?

General profile of the children

• They can be between ages 0 and 17;
• They have experienced difficulties in their family environment, such as neglect, rejection, physical abuse or sexual abuse;
• They may also present serious behavioural, emotional or social problems, or be delayed in their development;
• They are monitored by a psychosocial caseworker under the Youth Protection Act (YPA) or the Act respecting Health Services and Social Services, and sometimes the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA);
• They may speak French, English or some other language. They may come from a different social culture and practice a different religion than you;
• They need to be able to count on a caring, attentive and supportive family.  More specifically, they need a safe, secure, stable, and consistent environment with a predictable routine where they are valued and understood so that they can build trust with you and your family.

Stories of children in foster care

Please note: For reasons of confidentiality, the names of the young people are fictitious, but the situations described represent those experienced by young people and families in our region.

Leo, 7 months old (mixed bank foster family)

Leo was born at full term, but was withdrawn at birth due to his mother's substance abuse during pregnancy. As soon as he was discharged from the hospital at 7 days old, Leo was placed in the care of a foster family. However, his biological mother is entitled to supervised contact with him at our offices twice a week for three hours at a time. 
When he arrived at his foster home, Leo was irritable, cried a lot and needed to be close to his foster parents. Aurélie, the foster parents’ biological child, found Leo's arrival in her family difficult, but now she considers Leo a member of her family. Valérie, the foster mom, is really proud of all the progress Leo has made, and of the close relationship he has developed with Aurélie.

Charlotte, 4 years old (regular foster family with 24/7 emergency placement) 

A few days ago, police officers picked up Charlotte from her mother's apartment as the mom was being taken by paramedics to the hospital after a severe beating. The mother previously left her partner more than once to go into a shelter with Charlotte, but has always returned home. 
Charlotte has witnessed this violence first-hand, which sometimes leads her to cravings for reassurance, but also to be close to a caring, reassuring adult. She sometimes reacts unusually to certain situations. For example, she has broken toys and thrown them at children at the daycare. She flinches and cries when an adult raises their voice. 
Charlotte was taken in temporarily by Gina, her foster mother. She is there temporarily until her biological mother, with the help of professionals, can provide her with a safe, violence-free home. The aim is for Charlotte to be reunited with her mom as soon as possible.  

Gabriel, 8 and Thomas, 10 years old (regular foster family) 

Thomas and Gabriel's parents have a lot of trouble staying organized, keeping a job and looking after their two boys. Their apartment is badly neglected and there is rarely any food in the fridge. Each morning, it's Thomas who gets his little brother ready for school and makes sure to put a slice of bread with jam in his lunch box. In the evenings, the boys are often alone, as their parents are out. 
When Gabriel and Thomas arrived at their foster home, they had a tendency to hide food. At night, Gabriel refused to turn off his bedroom light. Thomas also threw a tantrum when the foster family cleaned his dirty clothes, which he had hidden under the mattress. 
Slowly, with a lot of listening, kindness, patience and love, Sarah and Martin, with the help of their caseworker, were able to build a connection with Gabriel and Thomas and win their trust. Sarah and Martin are really proud to see how well the boys are developing. Family weekends are fun-filled thanks to the boys' hockey practices and the family’s movie and board game evenings. The children's success at school is improving. The boys see their biological parents a few times a month.

Camille, 9 years old (mixed bank foster family hoping to adopt) 

Camille's mother died when she was a baby. When she was 7, the school discovered that Camille had been abused by her stepfather, who had raised her since her mother died. When she first came to Evelyn and Louis, Camille was very withdrawn. Several weeks passed before she spoke. She was suspicious of Louis and refused to be in the same room with him. In the morning, Evelyn would often find Camille asleep in her closet. Louis and Evelyn, with the help of their caseworker, succeeded in creating a bond with Camille. Camille eventually relearned how to trust an adult. Camille is also consulting a health care professional to help her understand what she's been through and what she can do to feel better. Now 9 years old, Camille has really blossomed. She skis with Evelyn and Louis, does well at school, sometimes invites friends home and, to Louis' great pride, is taking part in a father-daughter race with him next summer. 

Nicolas, 10 years old (regular foster family) 

Nicolas has been at the youth centre for a year now. His parents abandoned him, leaving him at the child protection office with a small bag containing his clothes. Nicolas suffered greatly from this abandonment and became completely disorganized. He tried to gravely injure himself. At the youth centre, Nicolas learned that his abandonment was not his fault, that he could trust adults and that he was capable of interacting with people. Because he suffered from severe neglect, hardly ever attended school, and was very aggressive, Nicolas had to spend time at a youth centre before being entrusted to a foster family. Today, despite his frailties, he is ready to meet his new foster family, who will accept his needs and his pace of growth. He hopes to have brothers and sisters and a room of his own.

Chloé, 17 years old (regular foster family)

Chloé came to Julie and Amélie, her foster family, at the age of 13 – and already using marijuana. She was aggressive both verbally and toward material things. She also had problems at school and was often absent. 
Chloé experienced neglect as a child. She had no basic care, no food, and lived in an unsanitary, windowless room in a basement. She also experienced psychological abuse at the hands of her biological parents. 
Julie and Amélie found the first few months difficult. They had their doubts, but today they know they made the right decision. Chloé has just been accepted to CEGEP in correctional intervention technology. Her foster moms are really proud of everything Chloé has achieved.

Nathan, 13 and Maria, 15 (regular foster family)

Nathan and Maria live temporarily with Luc and Pierre. They used to live with their mother, Isabelle, who is currently experiencing great difficulties and is no longer able to look after her children. However, Nathan and Maria see their mother every other weekend. Luc and Pierre, the foster dads, get along well with the children's biological mother. They explain that their role is to look after the children while the mom does everything possible to be able to welcome them back. It's also a way for them to help Isabelle. 

Myths and realities of foster families

Can I keep my job while being a foster family? 

• You and your spouse (if any) can keep your jobs and fully assume your role as a foster family. However, one parent must stay at home if you're hosting a child age 5 or under. 
• To ensure continuity of services for the children in your care, you can call on trusted replacements of your choice, who have the skills and abilities to provide services to the children in your absence;
•  It should be noted that children's needs inevitably vary with their age, their condition and their past experiences.  The intensity of the services a child requires, as well as the availability required at home or to accompany that child to various appointments necessitated by his or her condition or family situation, necessarily differs from one child to another.  Take note that the financial compensation you receive as a foster family is based on the specific needs and services required by each child.

 What support is available to help me respond appropriately to the child's needs, and how can I be sure I'll be competent to become a foster family?

• Support will be provided by caseworkers, including: 
  •  When the child or adolescent arrives in your home; 
  •  With respect to the services to be offered to the child staying with you; 
  • Helping you to develop concrete ways of getting to know and helping the child on a daily basis;
  • Helping you better understand your role as a foster family working with young people in care under the Youth Protection Act.
• You'll have access to other specialized services depending on the child's specific needs; 
• You’ll receive training on an annual basis; 
• You'll be given access to documents to help you better understand your child's or teenager's problems; 
• You will receive financial compensation based on the intensity of each child's needs, in an amount set by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux under a collective agreement.  

This collective agreement is an important document that establishes not only the guidelines for remuneration, but also the primary complementary responsibilities of your foster family and the establishment, as well as a number of very important terms and conditions to be aware of with respect to your role.  We suggest you consult this document on a regular basis, and don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have about it to the quality advisor in the establishment’s resources division or your representative association!

Click here to consult the current collective agreement (in French)

Who are these children who need foster care?  Who are they and what have they experienced?

• Each child carries a backpack containing his or her story, which may include some of the events that have marked them. 
• The impacts are different for each child. * 
• Some will develop well and show resilience. For others, it will be more difficult and take longer. 
• There may be behavioural, attachment, adaptation, insecurity, or opposition difficulties. 
• Abuse 
  • Abandonment 
  • Neglect 
  • Psychological abuse 
  • Physical and/or sexual abuse 
• Behavioural disorders 
  • Conduct disorders
  • Delinquency 
• Adjustment disorders 
  • Attachment problems
  • Mental disorders 
  • Addiction

How does the relationship with the biological parents of foster children work?

For some children, the biological parents are present and will remain so throughout the child's stay with you. For other children, the biological parent will be absent from the family picture, another reality that sometimes raises many questions for the child. Regardless of the situation with the child's biological parents, various staff members at the establishment will be able to assist you at any time based on the reality of each situation, particularly in terms of contacts, supervised visits if required, necessary consents and authorizations, etc.

 Foster family discussion groups on social media

Several foster family discussion groups exist on social media. Keep in mind that the reality of each region is different. If you have any questions or wish to confirm any information during the assessment process or during the contractual relationship, we invite you to contact the various caseworkers at the establishment or your representative association. We urge you to be careful about information posted on social media, and above all to respect the confidentiality of the children staying with you.

Useful information for youth foster families in the Montérégie

• IR-FTR Terms of Reference.  The mission, roles, and complementary responsibilities of a foster family and the establishment, as well as the various processes that guide the partnership, established in the best interests of the children in foster care, are set out in this document.
  • Click here to consult the IR-FTR reference framework (in French)
• The Association démocratique des ressources à l'enfance du Québec (ADREQ-CSD) represents all foster families in the Montérégie region.
  • Click here to visit the ADREQ-CSD website (in French)

Suggested reading

• Me feriez-vous une place? (Do you have a place for me?) 
  Children in foster families: understanding them better to better care for them (in French) 
• Famille d’accueil (Foster Family) 
  Experiences before taking the plunge 
  (digital book, in French)
• L’enfant adopté dans le monde (Children adopted internationally) 
  (fifteen and a half chapters, in French)