Training and Support for Foster Parents

Tikinagan offers programs and services to foster parents to assist you in providing the best possible environment for our children. We provide services and crisis intervention 24 hours a day. We offer orientation and ongoing training and education programs for foster parents.

Residential Care Worker

You will be assigned a Residential Care Worker to support you. This worker completes an initial home study, and provides orientation and training to all new approved foster parents.

When a child is placed in your home, your worker or the Child Care Worker will visit you and the foster child seven days and 30 days after the child's placement in your home. Your worker is in phone contact with you weekly when you have a foster child and visits at least every 90 days to help and support you. You can call your worker anytime with concerns or questions.

Once a year, your worker will conduct an overall review, but at every visit foster parents are encouraged to talk about your foster child's needs and your needs as a foster family. Your worker is there to help you solve any problems.

If you are having problems or concerns as a foster parent, remember you are not alone. You are a valuable team member of the healing circle for the child and you can ask for help from the team. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It shows you care about your foster child. We will help you develop a plan to address the problem and help the child.

After Hours On-Call Services

When the office is closed, Tikinagan provides on-call support to foster parents for emergency situations.

Foster Parents Helping Foster Parents

Experienced foster parents Fay and Ivan Wapenisk, of Weagamow Lake, are under contract with Tikinagan to provide support and advice for other foster parents through home visits, group training sessions and a toll-free phone line. You can reach them at 1-888-332-2433. Read more about the Wapenisks.

Financial Support

Tikinagan provides financial reimbursement to foster parents for expenses involved in keeping a foster child. It is a set daily rate directly deposited or mailed to foster parents. It is intended to cover regular expenses such as food and lodging, normal transportation, formula for babies, etc. Tikinagan also provides allowances for: clothing, personal spending money, Christmas and birthdays, school, recreation, and health expenses. These are determined by the child's age.

Foster Parent Relief

Respite care is planned support available to foster parents if a foster child has resided in your home for 30 days. Relief is earned at 2 days per month to a maximum of 4 days. There are respite options you can discuss with your worker such as: weekend or holiday relief, babysitting, summer camp, visits with natural parents, etc.