YOUNG PEOPLE & FOSTER CARE

Young people who enter foster care typically have experienced a breakdown within their home environment or have needs exceeding what their birth family can provide. The foster family's aim is to nurture, care for, and attend to the needs of the young person in care.

The needs of a number of young people in the child welfare system are sometimes underestimated or are not immediately clear. This sometimes means that the young person's needs are poorly matched with the attributes of the average foster family and results in the placement breaking down. In some cases the young person is moved to another foster home only to experience the same breakdown resulting in another change of placements. This is commonly known as foster care drift and it creates additional stress and problems for the young person. It can also result in the conclusion that the young person cannot reside in a family setting meaning a move to a group home or other 24-hour, shift staffed care.

TFC-the Program

The young people child and family services agencies refer to the Treatment Foster Care program have usually experienced the above scenario. They have exceptional needs resulting from behavioural difficulties, emotional disturbance, developmental disabilities, special medical needs, or special cultural needs. The child and family services agency may be considering a placement in a more controlled setting or the young person may already be in such a placement and efforts are being made to integrate them back into the community.

Marymound's Treatment Foster Care Program provides an opportunity for young people to remain in the community within a family setting. Throughout the entire placement process, which starts before a child is introduced to the foster family, the treatment team is working together to develop the most effective plan to address the child's needs. In this way, the young person benefits from the care and nurturing that comes with being part of a family while still receiving clinically driven treatment that is individualized to meet the goals of the child's treatment plan.

Program Structure

The TFC Program is successful at caring for young people with high needs because of the way it is structured. Foster parents within the program must first undergo a thorough screening and homestudy process before any young people are entrusted into their care. Once this process has determined that the parents have the experience and skills necessary, Marymound makes an application to Child and Family Services to license them to operate a foster home. After the license has been approved, Marymound will assign the family a Clinical Case Manager.

Unlike other agencies, Clinical Case Managers at Marymound carry a limited caseload. This allows the Clinical Case Manager time to establish and maintain relationships with the family and the young people placed into their care. The Clinical Case Manager works with the Treatment Foster Parents as part of the clinical team to implement the strategies and objectives set out in the Treatment Plan. Treatment Foster Parents can expect to meet with their Clinical Case Manager at least once every two weeks with the young person included at least monthly. The Clinical Case Manager is responsible for coordinating services and ensuring that appropriate planning occurs including pre-placement meetings, admission conferences, quarterly reviews, and discharge conferences.

As well, we understand that although the office closes at the end of the work day, the important work being done in a Treatment Foster Home is ongoing. Therefore, our foster families can count on being able to reach one of the program's on-call Clinical Case Managers at any time in case of a crisis. Families can also receive support by accessing other Marymound services such as educational, therapeutic, spiritual, and cultural services.

Marymound Finding the good

Webmaster© Copyright 2004-08. Marymound Inc.