Fostering

We promote foster care as a vital temporary support, offering a safe, nurturing environment for children and youth unable to remain in their family homes.

The Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa strives to keep families together in their own homes. However, in situations where that is not possible, we turn first to a relative, extended family member, or a member of the child’s community. Foster care is a temporary support for children and youth who for one reason or another, cannot remain in their own family home. Foster parents provide a vital service to our communities, creating a safe environment for children and youth to grow and learn. Those who care for foster children and youth provide more than a home – they create hope during a critical stage of development.

Current Opportunities

Who can foster:
  • Individuals who are single, married, living in a common law or same sex relationship
  • Individuals who are working, retired or at home
  • Individuals who will support and foster a child or youth’s identity and culture (i.e. children who identify with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, Black and other racialized communities)
We are currently looking for:
  • Homes for all age groups;
  • Homes for siblings;
  • Homes for adolescents; and,
  • Homes that identify with the following cultures and communities: Indigenous, Black and racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, and/or French language

Process

  1. Attend a group information session: These sessions are designed to inform you on the process of becoming a foster parent. For more information about our group information sessions, click here.
  2. Attend an individual session: Following the group information session, individual meetings will be scheduled for those interested in knowing more about fostering.
  3. Application eligibility: Following the information sessions, if you meet all the requirements and no barriers have been identified, you will be provided with an application package.
  4. Application package: You must complete the application package and return it to The Children’s Aid Society of Ottawa. This package will indicate your desire to foster children and youth and provide our team with details about your fostering preferences.
  5. Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (S.A.F.E.) Home Study: This is a comprehensive set of assessment tools to determine your eligibility, suitability and readiness to become a foster parent. All prospective foster homes must undergo the S.A.F.E. Home Study.
  6. Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education (P.R.I.D.E.) Training: This is a mandatory provincial training program offered to all prospective foster parents in Ontario. It is a 27-hour series of training delivered over a three-month period and provides an informative, thought-provoking look at fostering.

Testimonials

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Related FAQs

  • Fostering

    What is involved in the application process?

    There are numerous steps involved in the process of becoming a foster parent, including:

    • Attending an information session
    • Completing an application package
    • A Home Study assessment
    • P.R.I.D.E. Training

    A more detailed description of this process can be found on the Fostering page.

  • Fostering

    How long does the application process take?

    The assessment process usually takes four to six months.

  • Fostering

    As a foster parent, would I receive support?

    Yes, The CASO provides many different areas of support throughout the foster placement, including:

    • A foster care worker to contact for support
    • 24-hour on-call child and youth counsellor support line
    • Peer mentoring support
    • Built-in relief time i.e. time off for illness or unforeseen emergencies
    • Initial and on-going training
    • Financial reimbursement to subsidize costs of clothing, care, medical/dental needs, recreation, etc.
  • Fostering

    How long would I care for a child or youth?

    The length of a foster placement is determined by the individual needs of the child or youth and their current family situation. There is no definitive timeframe and can range from a few days to months, or even years.

  • Fostering

    What are the criteria for becoming a foster parent?

    The most important criterion for becoming a foster parent is your commitment to providing a safe and stable home for a child or youth. This criterion also involves your enjoyment for caring for children, as well as your willingness to overcome the challenges to arrive at the rewards of fostering. Other important requirements include:

    • Reside in the Ottawa area
    • Over the age of 18
    • Good overall health
    • Financially stable

    More criteria can be found on the Fostering page.

  • Fostering

    What is kin care?

    Kin care is a type of foster care where an extended family member, neighbour, community member, or someone who has a meaningful relationship with the child or youth, provides temporary foster care.

  • Fostering

    What is foster care?

    Foster care provides temporary care for children and youth who cannot remain in their home for several different reasons. Care is provided until a permanent placement plan can be implemented, whether the child is returned home, placed with kin, or placed with an adoptive family.