Foster Parenting > Children Deserve a Family

Some children cannot live at home

The CAS is responsible for the safety and protection of children. Wherever possible, the CAS works to keep children in their own family. When this is not possible, a child may be brought into the care of the CAS. Foster families provide temporary homes for children while they are in care. While the legal responsibility for the child remains with the CAS, foster families play an important role in the child's daily life.

The ideal plan for any child is that they will be reintegrated back to their birth family. Some children are unable to return home and remain in long term foster care or are moved on to adoption.

Foster care is provided in a number of different ways

Most children need the support and caring of a family because of some difficulties in their own family home. Regular foster care is the most common type of service for children in care. Foster families provide for the daily needs of the child or children that are placed temporarily in their home. They provide a safe, loving and caring home that encourages a child's growth and development. The ideal plan in regular foster care is to reintegrate the child to their primary home.

Some children need more intensive care, support and treatment. These children are placed in specialized or treatment foster care. The children placed with specialized or treatment foster families have special needs of a developmental, psychological or emotional nature that require treatment and services beyond the normal expectations. The foster family possesses exceptional education; skills or training that permits them to implement the treatment within the foster home. These families are usually limited to caring for 1 or 2 children. The primary caregiver may be required to be an at-home parent.

Some children need immediate placement at any time of the day or night. Emergency foster care is needed for these children. Emergency foster families are ready 24 hours a day to provide a temporary home for children when placement is needed and long-term plans are not yet identified. Emergency homes typically accept all children, for a limited amount of time. These foster families have the same responsibilities as regular foster families.

Some children cannot live with their own family, but do have extended family members or friends who are prepared to enter into a fostering relationship with them. The family member or friend can provide provisional foster care.

They will participate in a home study but will be approved to provide care to only the specific child with supervision by the CAS.