About Us — Village Parents

 

Children First’s focus is to provides a safe, temporary out-of-home placement for children unable to live with their family of origin. Children are matched with skilled caregivers who focus on providing a family based environment that will nurture the child and stabilize behaviors.

 

Children First ‘Village Homes’, our agency operates 24 hours per day/365 days per year. Within our foster care program, we are capable of delivering a continuum of culturally appropriate services to enhance and promote the well-being and independence of each referred child, family or young adult. The program offers a full range of family-based care, capable of addressing the needs of children whose difficulties are assessed from minimal to intensive or specialized. Placement duration varies from short to long-term, depending on the needs of the individual child. All foster homes are licensed under Alberta’s Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act.

 

Program Supervision/Support:  The Family Support Worker schedules supervision/foster family home visits minimally every sixty (60) days (more frequently when needed) and have regular phone contact. The family Support Worker provides supervision, support, technical assistance, training and evaluative feedback to the foster parents regarding case planning and intervention strategies. The Support Worker will also meet with and observe the child interacting in the foster home to review their adjustment into the home, and to hear any concerns or feedback they may have. A Support Worker is on-call 24 hours per day to assist foster homes or children with any issues which may arise. Other supports provided include: Financial Compensation, Support Group Meetings, In-Service Training Sessions, Respite care, Emergency respite, One-to-one stabilization/supports, Mediation Services, In-Home foster family support, Crisis Invention, Counseling, Cultural activities and supports, Mentoring program for new foster parents.

 

Client Profile:  The UP Community Services foster care program is able to receive children and young adults between the ages of 0 to 17 years of age, of any race or cultural background. Care is provided by a team of experienced and qualified Agency staff and foster parents, who work with the child, the child's family, Child and Family Services Workers, designated professionals and community members, to meet the individual placement needs of the child. The program emphasizes a collaborative and cooperative team approach when working with each child, endeavoring to create an atmosphere that will maximize their opportunity to be successful in a family and the community.

Text Box: Children First is the Foster Care and Kinship program for Unlimited Potential Community Services Society providing a safe, temporary out-of-home placement (A Village Home) for children unable to live with their family of origin. Our services are provided in accordance with following standards: Alberta’s Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, Canadian Accreditation Council of Human Services, The Code of Ethics of the Alberta College of Social Workers, and The Code of Ethics of the Alberta Foster Parent Association.