Youth protection services seek 50 families to foster children
Montreal's youth protection services are launching an appeal to recruit dozens of new foster families to meet a rising demand.
“We're trying to prioritize the children's needs so that's why we're in search of 50 foster families,” said Assunta Gallo, director of youth protection for local health board the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Ile-de-Montreal.
The goal is to find a diverse pool of candidates to house children temporarily. There is a need in all age groups from 0 to 18 years old and in different neighbourhoods and cultural communities all over the island.
Youth protection also wants to find households of different religions and cultures in order to match the identities of the young people. Same-sex couples are welcome to apply.
“You need a family to help you to feel secure. It's not about being loved, it's about being secure,” said Nancy Audet, youth protection ambassador for the Montreal Youth Centre Foundation. A former sports reporter, Audet knows the life of a foster child first hand – she grew up in an abusive home before she was placed in youth protection.
"I realized that these placements allowed me to catch my breath when I was going through a lot of violence and suffering," she said.
The island of Montreal currently has 700 foster families; youth protection typically selects 11 to 15 new families each year. Over the years, many have withdrawn because they moved, or because their role was considered too difficult, or because they retired.
"Being a foster family means dealing with a child who comes to your home temporarily. You open your heart and your family to them, and maybe after six months, the child leaves," said Gallo, who stressed the importance of foster families in the development of troubled youth.
Factors including the pandemic, and a drop in funding for support programs have led to the need for more families, said Audet.
“This is what those kids need: to be secure, to know nothing will happen to them, not physically, not mentally,” she said.
The selection process is divided into various stages, and takes several months. Among other things, applicant families have to pass interviews and a skills test. Their interpersonal skills and personal characteristics are also evaluated by youth protection workers.
For more information or to apply to became a foster parent, click here or call 514-356-5435.
- With files form The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6 per cent in January as Quebec strikes end
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.