Northeast Foster Families highlight vital role of fostering

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — October is Foster Families Month in Fort St. John, and members of the Northeast Foster Families support network are raising awareness for their importance and impact on kids.

Tim Plant, the organization’s Regional Coordinator, joined Dub Craig on the October 25th episode of This Week in the Peace to discuss fostering and foster families.

The City of Fort St. John has proclaimed October to be Foster Families Month during a previous council meeting, raising awareness for the importance of fostering. 

Plant explained a lot goes into fostering, such as the flexibility to accept children when called upon and the tools to care for a child, especially those who have suffered trauma in their life. 

Foster families and parents provide an essential service, offering temporary support for children until they can ideally be returned to their biological parents. 

“It is essential for the development of a child to experience secure attachment, love, stability, and security in a relationship, and so being able to offer these kids even temporary relief and support is essential for their development,” Plant said.

“This is the epitome of it taking a village to raise a child.”

In Fort St. John, there are currently 19 foster families, and Plant stated that while this is an ideal number, it has decreased in recent years, and the number of children has not. The intention is always to keep children as local to their community as possible.

The Ministry of Child and Family Development and Northeast Foster Families has a wealth of information and knowledge to guide prospective foster families through the process of becoming such, and Plant encouraged anyone interested to reach out. 

To learn more about Northeast Foster Families, visit the organization’s website.

To watch this week’s full episode of This Week in the Peace, see below.