What is FosterLink?
FosterLink, a program under Mercy Mission Canada, aims to provide education for the Muslim community about foster caregiving. We function as mediators between child welfare agencies and members of the community who would like to contribute as foster caregivers, relief caregivers, mentors, or volunteers.
What is Mercy Mission?
Mercy Mission Canada is an Islamic educational and social services organization that empowers new leadership and incubates community development programs. For more information, please visit: www.mercymission.ca
Who can become a foster caregiver?
Only caregivers that have been certified by a Children’s Aid Society or a private fostering agency will be eligible to receive a foster child in their care. Certification consists of a commitment to attend specialized training by an agency which includes an overall assessment on a family’s capability to become a foster caregiver. FosterLink has partnered with private fostering agencies to provide this training. Please see our partners here.
Additional requirements may include:
- A caregiver can be an individual, a couple, or a family unit (with biological or adopted children of any age).
- Depending on the individual application, a caregiver or various individuals residing in the home will need to submit to security and police checks/clearance.
- Be able to provide a financially, physically, socially, and emotionally safe living environment in the home.
- Depending on if you are becoming a caregiver with a private or public program, foster and relief caregiving may not provide a salary, but rather may provide a daily rate to cover expenses for each child in your care.
- The caregiver home (whether fulltime or relief) must be smoke free at all times and those who take care of infants and younger children must be non-smokers.
- Have the spare bedroom and other home space to accommodate a foster child (ren).
- Be able to provide full-time hours (at least one caregiver) in the home in order to take care of the children – this is needed in order to ensure that any age child can be placed with your (including younger children that do not go to school). Some exceptions may apply if the caregiver engages in part-time work from home and has a flexible working schedule.
- Driver’s license and appropriate home and auto insurance may also be required.
Who can become a relief caregiver?
Relief families are those that provide temporary support on an as needed basis. They provide support to families who are full-time foster caregivers that are in need of a temporary caregiver for their foster children. Such a service may be called into need if the foster family/caregiver need to travel away for personal reasons, have a emergency or crisis in the family they need to address or other reasons that render them unable to provide the full-time support needed for their foster children. The criteria mentioned above for foster caregivers also applies to relief caregivers.
What is the next step to becoming a foster caregiver or relief caregiver?
FosterLink strives to provide a seamless intake process for connecting Muslim individuals and families with agencies who are looking for Muslims interested to become foster caregivers. If you are interested in becoming involved in foster care in some capacity you will need to fill out the Intake Form.
Once you have filled out the intake form, someone from the FosterLink team will be in touch with you within 48-72 hours for further instructions.
Once you have filled out the intake form, someone from the FosterLink team will be in touch with you within 48-72 hours for further instructions.
Can I get paid as a foster caregiver?
Yes. After receiving training and certification from CAS or a private foster agency, foster caregivers receive a monthly stipend to compensate you for your service.
What are the different ways you can volunteer?
Aside from foster and relief caregivers, we are also looking for volunteers from the Muslim community to help with FosterLink events, be mentors to foster children, assist with other needs like driving for families and for children in care. If you are interested in learning more about how you can become a volunteer, please also fill out the Intake Form.
In order to become a volunteer, you will:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Need to submit a vulnerable sector clearance from your local police force
- Depending on individual applications and the role being applied for, other qualifications may be needed