The Community Caregivers Team seeks to keep children with their families and communities. If parents or caregivers need a break from parental responsibilities to focus on their own healing, Community Caregivers Team Workers can help in finding familial supports to care for the child(ren) until the parents/families are able to reunite. The Community Caregivers Workers help support caregivers and are actively engaged in shifting away from the “foster system” model and instead focus on supporting extended family and community members in caring for young people, and ensuring family, community, and cultural connections remain intact. By March 31, 2022, we had a total of 26 kinship homes, 11 Indigenous foster homes, and 6 non-Indigenous foster homes.
Caregivers provide a young person with a home until the families can come back together. Nurturing and caring people are recruited to provide temporary homes for children. As a caregiver, you are part of a team with the common goal of returning children home with their families. You are a valuable team member and can always ask for help if you have concerns or require further information. Caregivers receive financial compensation to help provide the necessities of life for the young person in their care (i.e., food, clothes, transportation, etc.).
There is a need for community and family members that are willing to open their homes to ensure young people stay in their communities.
Can I Become A Caregiver?
Caregivers come from all walks of life. Caregivers can be married, single, or partnered; have no children of their own or have a large family; be working full-time or a stay-at-home parent.
Anyone over 19 years of age who has the maturity to provide care and guidance to young people can apply to be a Caregiver. You do not need to own your own home, but you should have additional rooms in your home to ensure the young person in your care has privacy.
Scw’exmx Child and Family Services encourages you to consider being a Caregiver regardless of where you live, as Caregivers are needed to care for young people in each of the 5 communities, as well as in Merritt.
If you are interested in becoming a Caregiver, please contact the office at 250-378-2771 or toll free at 1-877-378-2773.