FAQ

Each child in care has a Health Care Passport, a workbook where you record important health information about the child. It follows the child through placements and supports continuity of their care.

Keep it current by recording medical appointments, diagnoses, medications, vaccinations, and any significant health events. It is also worth knowing that most children have a medical examination when they enter care, and many when they leave, and that children should receive an annual medical checkup; check with the social worker to confirm these have been arranged.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Dental care is provided through a Pacific Blue Cross arrangement administered by MCFD. Children are entitled to a dental examination every six months and basic dental care as needed. The social worker gives you a Pacific Blue Cross benefits card; you simply present it when booking, and the dentist bills the ministry directly, so you do not pay out of pocket. Orthodontic work is available for children and youth with continuing custody orders, so check the child’s legal status with the social worker if you are unsure.

For an eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist, you only need the child’s personal health number to present at the appointment. If the child needs glasses, contact the social worker to find out how the ministry’s optical plan works and how costs are covered.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

You handle the day-to-day side of a child’s health, but consent for routine, special, and emergency medical care rests with the child’s social worker. Always advise the social worker before a child receives medical attention; if that is not possible in special circumstances, notify them as soon as you can afterward. For any emergency, notify the social worker immediately, and ask them for an after-hours number that can authorise treatment when their office is closed. Wherever possible, take the child to their own primary physician rather than a walk-in clinic, so care and records stay consistent.

Do not pay out of pocket for medical services such as doctor visits, hospital charges, prescriptions, or glasses unless the social worker has authorised it first, and do not involve the child in any treatment or therapy not approved by a physician and authorised through MSP or PharmaCare. For special needs like prostheses, special diets, or medical transportation, check with the social worker first, since these usually require prior authorisation.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

No. The policy does not require you or other household members to quit altogether, only that smoking and vaping never happen inside the home or in a vehicle used for children in care.

If you or a household member do want to quit, free support is available through QuitNow, operated by the BC Lung Association on behalf of the Ministry of Health. QuitNow offers internet-based tools, expert advice, and e-mail support, plus a 24-hour, seven-day telephone counselling service staffed by registered nurses. You can reach QuitNow toll-free at 1-877-455-2233.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Foster homes in BC must be completely smoke and vapour-free. No smoking or vaping of any kind may happen in the home or in any vehicle used to transport children in care, at any time. This covers tobacco products, cannabis, e-cigarettes and vaping devices, and any other vapour-producing substances. It applies to everyone who lives in or visits the home, including guests and the caregivers themselves, and it applies around the clock, not only when a child is present. Indigenous cultural and spiritual practices involving tobacco are specifically exempt.

The policy protects children, who are especially vulnerable to second-hand smoke and vapour. It is formally set out in the Standards for Foster Homes and the Caregiver Support Service Standards, and your resource social worker can provide copies or clarify how it applies in your situation, including questions about outdoor areas.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

A child’s legal status determines who holds guardianship — and therefore who has authority over decisions about education, religion, medical care, and more. Under a Voluntary Care Agreement or Special Needs Agreement, the parent keeps guardianship and generally keeps decision-making over school, religion, and medical care except in emergencies, so a question about those would go through the child’s social worker to the parent. Under an interim custody order the parent still holds all but emergency decisions; under a temporary custody order guardianship passes to the director but parents are usually consulted.

Under a continuing custody order the director is the sole guardian and parents have no automatic decision-making role, though they may apply to the court for access. The director is also sole guardian in Infants Act and Adoption Act placements. Knowing a child’s status tells you what you can decide on your own, what needs the social worker’s involvement, and what role the parents still play. If you are unsure of a child’s status, ask the child’s social worker — it is essential information for your role.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

The basic rule is that neither caregivers nor social workers may disclose information they learn through their work, except where the law specifically permits. The two main situations where sharing is acceptable, even without the child’s or family’s consent, are when it is necessary for the child’s safety or well-being, or when it is shared with foster parents about a child in their care. Both the child welfare law and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act govern how this information is handled.

In everyday terms: a child’s background and history are shared with you so you can care for them, not to pass on to others. If a neighbour, teacher, or relative of yours asks about a child’s circumstances, you are generally not obligated to share and usually should not. If a third party asks you to confirm something about a child, check with the child’s social worker first. And if you ever believe a disclosure is genuinely needed to protect the child’s safety, you may make it — just note what you shared, with whom, and why. When in doubt, ask before disclosing.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Every child in foster care has a Health Care Passport — a working workbook where you, the caregiver, record the child’s significant health information. It is not a formal medical record; it is a practical tool that gives you and the child’s health care providers quick, organized access to the child’s health history, and it provides continuity as the child sees different providers or changes placements. You should receive it as part of the pre-placement information from the child’s social worker, and if it does not arrive at placement — especially in an emergency — follow up to get it.

Keeping it current is your responsibility: update it after each medical or dental appointment, new diagnosis, medication change, or significant health change. The passport supports your record keeping but does not replace consent for treatment — the child’s social worker is the person authorized to consent to medical care, so talk to them before routine, special, or emergency care, and notify them as soon as possible afterward if an emergency made that impossible. Like other records, the passport is part of the child’s file and travels with them when they leave.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Two checks are used: a Consolidated Criminal Record Check, which looks at offences relevant to working with children and vulnerable people, and a Prior Contact Check, which looks at any past involvement with BC’s child protection system. Your resource social worker arranges both — caregivers do not run them.

They are done for the prospective caregivers, for other adults and youth aged 18 and over living in the home, for anyone who visits or stays more than 30 days, for an intimate partner who is regularly in the home, for relief care providers, and for unlicensed child care providers you choose for ongoing care. They are not routinely run for short-term babysitters, casual visitors, or the child’s peers, coaches, and tutors — for those you use a prudent-parent standard, and you can ask your worker for support if a situation warrants it.

Source: Foster Family Handbook

Yes — either you or the ministry or agency can end a Family Care Home Agreement. If the ministry decides to close your home, you must be told the reasons in person, and a letter confirming those reasons has to follow. If an agreement is terminated or suspended, you have the right to be given the reasons and to appeal the decision.

If you disagree with the reasons for closure, you do not have to face it alone. You can get support from BCFFPA, FAFP, or your Regional Foster Parent Support Agency, and you can use the formal dispute resolution process described in your agreement. Your CFS Area Coordinator can also help you understand your options.

Source: Foster Family Handbook