FAQ

It depends on the amount. For damage or loss under $10,000 caused by a child or youth in care, use the Under-Deductible Losses (UDL) process through Coast Claims Insurance Services — a simpler, low-barrier route. For $10,000 or more, use the standard Rider Insurance Programme claims process. In either case, also let your resource social worker know. For help with a UDL claim, contact the BCFFPA at 1-800-663-9999.

Source: Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Each CFS Area Coordinator serves a specific part of Vancouver Island, and your coordinator is your first point of contact for information, peer support, mentoring, training, and investigation support. If you’re not sure which coordinator covers your community, call the CFS Regional Office toll-free at 1-888-922-8437 (admin@fpsss.com) and they’ll route you to the right person. Reach out during office hours; if you get voicemail, leave a message and your coordinator will return the call. For urgent concerns outside business hours, use the after-hours and crisis lines instead.

Source: Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Caring Families Society (CFS) is a non-profit organisation that supports foster caregivers on Vancouver Island. It’s contracted by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) to provide support, networking, communication, and ongoing training. CFS isn’t a regulatory body and doesn’t place children — those are MCFD and Indigenous Child and Family Service Agency (ICFSA) responsibilities. In short, CFS is there to support you, so you can provide stable, informed care for the children and youth in your home.

Source: Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Call the Investigation and Resolution Support Team Leader at 1-888-922-8437. You’ll be assigned a support person in your area who will guide you through the process, answer your questions, and provide support throughout. This service — part of CFS’s Investigation and Resolution Support Programme — is available whether or not you’re a CFS member.

You also have the right to access support of your choosing. BCFPA can provide advocacy help (you don’t need to be a member), and your CFS Area Coordinator is available during business hours for consultation or referral.

Sources: MCFD Foster Family Handbook; CFS Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

These four organizations have complementary roles. MCFD (and delegated ICFSAs) are responsible for placements, approvals, payments, and child protection — for questions about a specific child, you contact their social worker. CFS is your Vancouver Island regional support agency, providing peer support, mentoring, workshops, the Safe Babies Programme, and Investigation and Resolution Support. BCFPA (also written BCFFPA) works at the provincial level, administering foster parent insurance, running the Fosterline, and advocating for caregivers. FAFP — the Federation of Aboriginal Foster Parents — supports caregivers of Aboriginal children, working in partnership with the others rather than replacing them.

In short: go to MCFD for decisions about a child, CFS for regional peer and training support, BCFPA for insurance and provincial advocacy, and FAFP for support specific to caring for Aboriginal children.

Sources: MCFD Foster Family Handbook; CFS Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

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It depends on the situation. For anything life-threatening, call 911. To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call the Ministry Helpline for Children at 310-1234 — anywhere in BC, 24 hours a day, no area code needed. For an emergency involving a child in your care that can’t wait until the next business day, call the MCFD After Hours Line at 1-800-663-9122. If a child has swallowed or been exposed to a substance you’re worried about, call the Poison Control Centre at 1-800-567-8911.

If a situation is urgent but not an immediate safety emergency, the Foster Parent Support Line (1-888-495-9122) offers confidential consultation in the evenings and on weekends. When in doubt about whether something is urgent enough to call, make the call anyway — support staff would rather help early than intervene late.

Sources: CFS Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide; MCFD Foster Family Handbook

Safe Babies training is for approved foster caregivers who want to take on the specialised role of caring for infants prenatally exposed to alcohol or other drugs. If you’re interested, contact your resource social worker for approval to take the training. Approval depends on your readiness for specialised infant care and on current needs in your area.

Source: Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Mentors are experienced foster caregivers who can help with the kinds of questions where another caregiver’s experience matters more than a policy document — understanding the caregiver role, how Ministry Practice Standards apply day-to-day, finding events and workshops, locating community resources, and practical advice on specific situations. They’re also there to listen on a hard day, without judgement and without reporting back to the Ministry or to CFS.

Source: Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

Contact your local CFS Area Coordinator or the Regional Office at 1-888-922-8437. The coordinator will talk with you about what you’re looking for in a mentor and make a match based on your situation. The service is free, confidential, and non-judgmental.

Source: Foster Caregiver Orientation Guide

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