Foster Care
Our foster families provide children and young people a place to live when they are no longer able to remain in their own home due to child protection concerns.
In a family-based environment, foster families provide stability and support until the child’s family can resume care or a permanent plan is established. This ensures children receive the care they need while maintaining a sense of family and community.
As a foster family, you can expect to receive the following support from us:
- Direct support, training and consultation from a Resource Worker
- A daily, non-taxable allowance to cover costs of living such as food, shelter, travel, and household expenses
- Spending money for the foster child’s clothing, hygiene, recreational needs, and personal spending
- Mileage and relief allowance
- Medical and dental cost coverage for the child/youth
- Access to a range of therapeutic supports and services required by the child
- Participation in CCAS’s network of foster families
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) support for foster families
Who Can Become a Foster Family?
The Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto seeks foster families from diverse backgrounds, reflecting the rich tapestry of Toronto’s population. We welcome families with varied experiences, ethnicities, and cultures. Above all, our foster families are dedicated to supporting children, youth, and families in need, working collaboratively with the family and the Society to ensure the safety and well-being of the children and youth involved.
If you are interested in becoming a foster family, please call the Recruitment Line at 416-395-1720 or complete the form below.
Our staff will be pleased to assist you, answer your questions, and explain the application process to you.
Interested in Learning About Our Foster Parent Information Night?
Fostering FAQs
- If you think you have the special qualities and time to become a foster parent and would like more information,
please call our Recruitment Line at 416-395-1720. - Our resource staff will be pleased to assist and answer your questions and explain the application process to you.
Some qualifications to become a foster parent include:
- the compassion and nurturing to care for for a child/youth
- the ability to embrace and support children and families from diverse religious, cultural and racial backgrounds;
- a commitment to the child’s emotional and individual development needs
- team collaboration and communication skills;
- flexibility at work to be available for emergencies, school breaks, meetings, or a secondary caregiver that can provide this support;
- Access to a computer and reliable internet connection
- Physical space required in the home
- Our exceptional foster parent community reflects Toronto’s diversity in language, race, culture, family constellation, and economic circumstance. They provide children with spiritual support consistent with Roman Catholic values and faith.
- Foster parents can be married or single, with or without children. Some are experienced parents with older children, while others are providing care while raising their own children.
- Some foster parents work full-time outside of the home, while others are stay-at-home caregivers. All share a genuine interest in the well-being of children and are dedicated to the foster parent community.
- They provide our children with a safe and nurturing home in a family-based environment when they are not able to remain in their home because of child protection concerns or special needs.
- Foster parents are role models, teachers, and nurturers to children, who help them develop healthy self-esteem, values, and positive behaviours.
- Besides ensuring that a child’s mental, emotional and physical needs are met, foster parents help maintain familial, cultural, social and religious ties. This includes offering support to the child’s biological family.
- Our foster parents work as a team with CCAS staff, children and their parents to establish the best plan of care for the child. The initial plan is usually to reunite a child with his or her family; however, sometimes this is not possible. In these situations, CCAS staff work with the child, parents, extended family, and foster families to develop a plan for them to live in the best permanent home possible — this could include living with a relative (kinship care), private guardianship, or adoption.
- Children come from a variety of backgrounds and can range from newborns to teenagers (0-18 years of age).
- Some children need emergency care for overnight or short-term care for a few weeks. Depending on the circumstances, others may need long-term care before they are ready to re-join their family or start living independently after turning 18.
- While some children may have been voluntarily placed in CCAS’s care, the family court system may have required others to be placed in our care. Most children are placed in our care because they may have experienced:
- illness, death, or conflict in the family
- neglect or abandonment
- physical, sexual or emotional abuse
- Discussing your interest in becoming a foster parent with our staff
- Reviewing our detailed information package
- Attending our foster families information night
- Completing a home visit with a CCAS Resource Worker
- Submitting a completed application form
- Attending a Parent Resource for Information, Development, Education (PRIDE) training session
- Upon your application’s approval, a thorough home study is completed
How soon a child is placed with you after your home study approval depends on the children you have decided to provide care for. For example, if you are willing or able to care for teens, siblings or children with special and/or complex needs, a child will be placed with you more quickly.
Families Need Help – You Can Be That Help
Welcome and thank you for your interest in fostering with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto!
Fostering is a vital part of the services we offer to children, youth, and families, and you could be a part of this impactful work. As a Catholic agency, we are dedicated to supporting families in need, providing conscious and equitable services that address the needs of all families while minimizing the impact on Indigenous, Black, and other equity-seeking groups affected by systemic oppression.
We invite you to watch the videos below to hear more about fostering from our Chief Executive Officer Priscilla Manful and some of our current foster parents. Remember, you can make a difference in someone’s life!
Connect with us at 416-395-1520. We look forward to hearing from you!
Message from our Chief Executive Officer
Recruitment Video
Recruitment Commercial Video #1
Recruitment CommercialVideo #2
