Fostering a child could be a rewarding experience – Foster Care Manager

Nov 13, 2016 News

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By Sharmain Grainger
For every three months a child spends in residential care, they are likely to lose one month of development. This has been particularly true for children who are three years of age and younger. Moreover, Manager of the Foster Care Department of the Childcare and Protection Agency within the Ministry of Social Protection, Ms. Colleen Khan, has asserted that “it is most definitely our policy to not place children in residential care at a young age”.
Currently there are over 600 children in residential care. There are currently three Government-run child residential facilities – The Drop-In Centre, the Sophia Care Centre and the Mahaica Children’s Home – in addition to about 20 facilities that are privately operated.
Over the years, however, there have been many children who remain in residential care for the greater part of their childhood.
But according to Khan, residential care is only meant to be a temporary resort for a child.
It is for this reason, Khan said, that the Foster Care Department has been advocating for children to be placed in foster care rather than remain indefinitely in residential care.
“It is just supposed to be a safe haven for a child, during which time we try to move to the next step, and that is to place them in kinship (family member) or foster care,” Khan explained, as she stressed that a prolonged stay in residential care can also considerably affect the overall wellbeing of children.
But then residential care may be the ‘lesser of two evils’ if a child is exposed to various forms of abuse such as physical or sexual violence or even neglect in the homes of their biological parents.
Once a report of a suspected child abuse case attracts the attention of the Childcare and Protection Agency, an investigation usually ensues. While there are occasions that the child has to be removed from the home to facilitate the investigation, Khan disclosed that some investigations are conducted without taking such action.
“Sometimes we don’t need to remove the child; we just need to work with the family. Maybe the family needs some form of support – a mother might be frustrated because she is not working and is not getting support from the father of her child or children and we can help to improve that situation in some way,” said Khan, as she insisted that the removal of the child is the last possible resort.
“If there is no family member, godparent or someone who may be close to the child who is unwilling to take the child into their custody, it is only then that we would place a child in residential care,” Khan asserted.
She however noted that since keeping a child in residential care is not an ideal situation, moves are continually made to encourage suitably qualified persons to become involved in the foster care programme or even seek to adopt. In both instances persons are thoroughly screened before they become eligible to have a child in their custody. In fact, if a child is of age, he or she has a say in the foster or adoption.
While persons who opt to be a part of the foster care programme are usually compensated, though in a small way, Khan noted that many do it out of the goodness of their hearts.
There are currently 108 registered foster parents caring for 166 children. This therefore means that some foster parents care for multiple children.
And according to Khan, “essentially the foster parents help to fill the gap of the biological family on a temporary basis.”
But some people are of the belief that there is a thin line between foster care and adoption. However, Khan has made it clear that the two are completely different, and should not at all be viewed as interchangeable terminologies.
Although many attempts have been made to clarify this, the misconception between the two have for years persisted. According to Khan, “people still get a little confused between foster care and adoption.” But she is convinced that with more awareness people will eventually be able to understand the distinction between the two.
It is for this reason that this year’s observance of Foster Care Month is fully embracing the notion of awareness.
Foster Care Month is annually observed in November and this is the sixth year that the Foster Care Department is recognising it. The observance this year is being held under the theme: “Be part of a rewarding experience; foster a child in need of care today.”
As part of her efforts to raise awareness, Khan recently sought to give clarity to the difference between foster care and adoption. Adoption, she explained, is a legal binding agreement that facilitates permanent placement of a child and allows for the rights of the parents to be practically revoked. In this case the adopted child is furnished with a new birth certificate bearing the name of the adoptive parents.
But foster care is intended to be a temporary system of caring for a child. Moreover, in this instance the rights of the parents remain intact. According to Khan, children are placed into foster care to ensure that they are in a safe place while efforts are made to reunite them with their biological parents. There are occasions, though, when a child’s parents are dead and they are placed into foster care pending the possibility of adoption.
But ahead of adoption, persons can lend a hand to the Foster Care Department by helping to safeguard a child. The process can start simply by visiting the Foster Care Department at Lot 7 Broad and Charles Streets, Georgetown (opposite the Dolphin Secondary School) or by dialling telephone numbers 227-0138 or 225-1117 to speak with an officer, to be advised on the way forward.

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