November is Adoption Awareness Month. Organizations like the Children’s Aid Society take the month to educate people on the importance of adoption, permanency and life long connections for children and youth in care. Caitlin MacInnes, a Resource Worker with CAS who specializes in Foster Care Recruitment, says there is a huge need for adoption and permanency in youth 11 and older.
There are training opportunities available to give more of an inside look on what adoption and permanency looks like in Ontario, with testimonies from individuals who were in the care system and individuals who worked with the care system. CAS tries to keep children and youth connected with their families, relatives and community. They do not want individuals in care to lose their sense of identity.
Most individuals in care in London-Middlesex is youth aged 11 to 18. CAS is looking for people with a trauma enforced lens to help youth, says CAS Resource Worker Brittany Vance who specializes in Permanency and Placement.
Like young children, youth deserve to have a sense of belonging and deserve permanency. Once youth are out of the care system, they don’t have anyone to help guide them. Having that guide will help them succeed.
Vance tells myFM that more than 1 in 5 youth will become homeless. By the age of 21, 20% will be involved with the criminal justice system. 90% of youth out of care will only make $10,000 a year; which is not a livable wage. Only half will graduate High School and less than 3% will graduate from Post Secondary. Only 50% will have a job by the age of 24. Many will get involved with trafficking, gang affiliation, substance abuse or crime. MacInnes says the adoption/permanency process is simple, just a little long. On average it takes 4 to 6 months.
Once in contact with MacInnes and a meeting is arranged, she can answer any questions you may have. She’ll go over agency policies, training processes, applications and a home study. You must prove you can meet the needs of the youth(s).
You will be provided with the application package. The training session is 9 weeks long and mostly on-line. A Social Worker will come to do assessments of your home and family; that will include references, background checks, etc.
There is a need in London-Middlesex for homes for youth both with special needs and without. There is a stigma around children and youth in care. Vance says you have the power to break that stigma.
There is also a great need for younger children with disabilities like feeding, communication, mobility challenges and autism that need homes and someone to guide them. There is also a great need for sibling groups that need loving homes.
You can learn more at caslondon.on.ca.
written by: K. Close