Children & Youth
Foster Care
St.Amant specializes in providing foster services to children and youth with developmental and physical disabilities and any associated complex care needs.
Overview
St.Amant Foster Service’s works with families in Winnipeg and rural Manitoba to welcome children with complex care needs into their home. Our foster care providers open their homes to provide a nurturing and safe space and encourage each child to make their own choices, gain important life skills and participate in new opportunities. We will involve the child’s family and natural support network as much as possible, as well as reflect their culture/heritage in this process.
Becoming a Foster Provider:
We are always recruiting new foster care providers. Our foster providers are warm and nurturing and support children and youth who may not be able to access typical foster care service. Most of the children supported require specialized supports and extended hours of care. It’s important that you have a stable home environment and experience working with people with developmental disabilities as well as with people with complex needs and behaviours. As a foster provider you have the important job of caring for not only the physical needs of the child in your care, but their emotional, mental, spiritual, social, cultural and developmental needs as well.
This compensated role comes with many important responsibilities and many supports from St.Amant to ensure you’re well-equipped for the unique and complex needs of each child in your care.
Who Qualifies?
Children (0 to 18 years old) in the care of Child and Family Services (CFS).
This service requires a referral from Child and Family Services (CFS)Inquiries and referrals are considered as they are submitted based on the needs of the person and availability. To inquire, please contact St.Amant Central Intake.
FAQs
Why does someone access foster care?
People we support in these programs ask for our services form any reasons, some include:
- Their family is no longer able to provide the level of care required
- Illness, death or family conflict
- Abuse, neglect or abandonment
Who can become a foster care provider?
Foster families are individuals or couples throughout Manitoba of diverse cultural backgrounds who are:
- Emotionally, physically and financially stable
- Supportive, compassionate and nurturing and able to commit time and energy to meet the needs of a child with disabilities
- Own or rent a home (house or apartment) that meets the needs of the individual supported and provincial licensing standards
What are the steps I need to take to become a foster care provider?
All foster providers must be eligible to be licensed to operate a foster home through Family Services. As part of this process, our foster providers go through a rigorous SAFE Home Study in addition to proving that they meet Provincial Licensing Standards. You must be willing to participate in this intensive and invasive process.
This includes:
- Reference checks
- Child abuse registry, prior contact and criminal record checks
- Driver’s abstract and medical reference
- Family and biography/life experience questionnaires
- In-home interviews, home visits and a home inspection
How long does the licensing process take?
The timeline varies for each family, we have seen a general timeline of approximately six month from the start of the application process.
How long will the child live with me?
The length of stay varies with each situation. You won’t know how long the child will stay with you once they’re in your care, there are many unknown factors that may affect the length of time they will stay with you. Children and youth with complex care needs often require long term care, but we continue to encourage reunification efforts, where possible.
As a foster care provider-who else is involved in the care of the child I’m supporting
Within the Foster Services program, each child will be supported by not only their Foster Provider, but also by the coordinator and the case supervisor. Both the coordinator and case supervisor will work with you to make sure the child is receiving the supports that they require while in your care. We provide an assessment when the child is placed in your care, from there we will work together to help identify dreams and goals with the child and their support team that we as a team will work towards achieving.
Who typically accesses St.Amant Foster Services?
We serve children and youth primarily with developmental and physical disabilities and any associated complex care needs. These could include, but are not limited to: high medical needs, behavior difficulties, sensory processing issues, attachment disorders, sleep or eating issues, aggression hyperactivity, effects of trauma and emotional dysregulation. Each child is unique and we strive to create a warm and safe living environment for every person that comes into Foster Services regardless of their diagnosis or health needs.
Contact
Please reach out to St.Amant Central Intake
at 204-258-7041 for more information.