There are currently 550 foster families in the province and over 900 children in the foster care system.
October is Foster Families Month and Foster Families of Newfoundland and Labrador is once again putting out the call for foster homes as the number of those coming forward continues to drop. Executive Director Kelli Hodder admits, while conditions have improved, some things have stayed the same. She says it’s no longer a situation where kids are in hotel rooms with social workers, and now if there is no home available, that child would be placed in a group home.
Hodder says it’s not a family based environment and the child would be placed in a group home with their rotational staff that are coming and going on a 12-hour shift. As well, she says they could be placed with any number of children already in the group home and while it’s not ideal, it’s reality. Hodder says anyone at least 25 years old can foster, but they must have a safe, comfortable home or apartment with an empty bedroom to accommodate the child. There are currently 550 foster families in the province and Hodder says that number has dropped over the years since the Covid pandemic. There are also over 900 children in the foster care system.
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