MEMO: Travel Letters

To: All Staff 

From: Karla Stanley, Director of Services 

CC: Service Managers 

Gail Anderson, Director of Services ; Amy Hardy, Director of Services ; Bill Kuzemczak, Director of Services ; Rachel Tinney, Associate Executive Director ; Clara Young, Director of Finance and Administration ; Thelma Morris, Executive Director 


 To assist with travel letters a new email group has been set up. All travel letters are to be submitted to TravelLetters@tikinagan.org, in advance of the travel date. 

When the foster parent(s) or other placement resource providers are travelling outside of the Districts of Kenora, Rainy River and/or Thunder Bay with their foster child (e.g., within Ontario, outside of Ontario, outside of the country), they require written permission from the agency’s Executive Director or designate. The Child Care Worker must prepare a travel letter, using the agency’s letter template, and fill in the following information: 

– The child’s, name, date of birth, Band Membership number and Health Card Number. 

– The name(s) of all the individuals with whom the child is travelling. 

– Where they are travelling to and the date they will leave and return; and, 

– Which worker to contact in case of an emergency 

Along with preparing the travel letter, the Child Care Worker must also: 

– Ensure that the legal status of the child has not expired or will not expire during the trip. 

– Obtain consent from the child’s parents/caregivers. 

– Obtain consent from the child’s First Nation. 

– Confirm and provide travel insurance for out of country travel. 

– Obtain approval from the Direct Services Supervisor 

– Obtain approval from the Service Manager 

The Child Care Worker submits all the required information to TravelLetters@tikinagan.org. The assigned Information Systems Worker will review the information. If the submitted package 

does not meet the requirements listed above, the Information Systems Worker will reach out to the Child Care Worker to obtain the missing information. 

Information Systems will then forward the letter for Executive Director or designate signature. After the travel letter is signed by the Executive Director or designate, Information Systems will forward to the Child Care Unit. 

The Child Care Worker is responsible to forward the original, signed travel letter to the appropriate person/people who will be accompanying the child while travelling. 

For your reference, attached is Child Care Policy Section 4.5.13 Travel for Children in Care. 

If you have questions, please contact Dawn Gardhouse, A/Quality Assurance Manager.