FAQ

In the moment, focus on helping the child’s nervous system settle rather than on teaching or correcting. A child whose nervous system is in survival mode cannot use the thinking part of their brain, so lecturing, reasoning, raising your voice, or correcting them in front of others usually makes things worse. Instead, reduce the demand, lower the sensory load, stay close without crowding, and use a calm, steady voice. This is what “co-regulation” and “regulation before reasoning” mean in practice — a calm adult lends regulation to a child who cannot yet generate it on their own.

Save any teaching for later. Wait until the child is calm, then return to whatever needs to be addressed. Regulation skills are best taught when the child is already settled, not in the middle of a meltdown. This approach is more effective and protects your relationship with the child.

Source: CFS FASD Practice Notes

This is one of the most commonly misread FASD challenges. Memory in FASD affects how the brain stores and retrieves information — a child may understand something perfectly in the moment but be unable to recall it later. Repeated mistakes can look like defiance or laziness, when the real issue is that the information simply is not staying available to the child. Expecting them to remember after hearing something once, or treating repeated mistakes as intentional, tends to make things harder.

What helps is repetition and practice, visual reminders and checklists, consistent routines, one instruction at a time, and breaking tasks into small steps. When a child seems to “forget on purpose,” the more useful question is: which part of the brain is making this hard right now, and what would help it do this better?

Source: CFS FASD Practice Notes

Yes. All Family Care Homes must have household insurance as a condition of the agreement with the Ministry — it’s a compliance requirement, not optional. Keeping your own policy in place also matters because the BCFFPA Rider Insurance extends your existing coverage rather than replacing it, so the Rider only works if you have your own insurance behind it.

If you don’t currently have household insurance, speak with your resource social worker promptly.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Most ordinary recreation — local sports, clubs, lessons, and community activities — is meant to be covered by the “gifts and activities” portion of the family care rate. But if a child’s care plan includes a specific activity whose costs go well beyond what the regular rate can absorb — say a high-cost competitive sport, a specialised arts programme, or a cultural activity with travel costs — an exceptional payment may be possible. These are assessed case by case.

Speak with your resource social worker, who decides whether the cost is genuinely beyond the regular rate and documents the request for approval.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

There may be. If a youth in care takes on employment and needs appropriate clothing for the job, that’s one of the situations an exceptional clothing payment can cover, since it falls outside the ordinary clothing the family care rate is meant to handle.

Start the conversation with your resource social worker, who assesses whether the need is genuinely exceptional and documents the request for director and manager approval.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Routine local travel — including everyday trips to appointments and a bus pass — is already built into the family care rate. Exceptional transportation payments apply when travel genuinely exceeds that, such as long-distance travel to accompany a child to another city for a medical procedure, or unusually frequent or high-cost trips required by the care plan.

Speak with your resource social worker, who confirms the travel is consistent with the child’s Plan of Care and forwards the request for approval. For a child in continuing custody, medical transportation can also be handled as a guardianship expense through the child’s social worker. Keep records of distances and costs — they support the assessment.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

When exceptional transportation costs are approved, the mileage rate is 63 cents per kilometre, paid for kilometres beyond the 325 kilometres of driving per month already included in the family care rate for each child. Where public transportation is the mode used instead, the actual costs may be reimbursed.

Keep records of the distances you drive and the costs you incur — that documentation supports the assessment and approval process. Your resource social worker is the place to start any request.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

For a child in continuing custody, the cost of transporting the child’s parents or relatives to visit can be considered as a guardianship expense, when the travel helps the birth family maintain contact and is part of the care plan.

Because this is a guardianship expense, it’s assessed and authorised by the child’s social worker rather than your resource social worker — so raise it with them.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Medical costs that fall outside the Medical Services Plan (MSP) and standard health services can be considered for an exceptional payment. This includes things like medically necessary special diets, prostheses or medical equipment not covered by MSP, and specialised medical clothing such as compression garments, orthotic supports, or knee braces.

Speak with the child’s social worker before purchasing or arranging anything — prior authorisation is required. They assess the request and forward it for approval.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Sometimes, yes. A child and youth care worker (CYCW) may be assigned or funded when the child’s care plan requires a level of support beyond your home’s designated capability, when CYCW support is part of an ongoing plan for a child in care for a short time, or when the service is helping a youth prepare for independent living. When funded as an exceptional payment, the rate is set regionally and capped at the rate paid under existing regional CYCW contracts.

Your resource social worker can tell you whether CYCW support may be appropriate for a child in your home and how to request it.

Sources: Foster Family Handbook; Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide