Fostering Children in Ontario
Fostering in Ontario means providing temporary care for children who cannot live safely with their families. At Safe Harbours, we place children who have experienced trauma, mental health challenges, or developmental and medical needs into homes where they can feel secure. Foster parents act as caregivers who meet daily needs like food, clothing, and school support while also helping children process and work through difficult experiences. The child’s legal custody remains with child protection services, but you become the person who provides stability and care in the home.
Foster placements vary in length depending on the child’s situation. Some children stay for a few weeks while their families resolve issues, and others remain for months or years until adulthood. Foster care can lead to reunification with family, adoption, or extended care. Each placement is matched carefully to ensure a good fit between the child and the foster home.
The Rewards of Fostering
The most meaningful reward of fostering is knowing you are giving a child stability when they need it most. Many children arrive carrying fear, grief, or mistrust, and with patience and consistency, they learn to feel safe again. Seeing a child succeed in school, make friends, or smile after weeks of sadness shows the real impact foster parents have.
Fostering also brings personal growth for caregivers and their families. You gain skills in trauma-informed care, cultural awareness, and crisis response that extend beyond fostering. Families often describe fostering as a shared mission, one that strengthens bonds and creates lasting memories. Even after children leave care, many relationships continue, showing the lasting value of your role.
The Challenges of Fostering
Fostering is demanding because children may arrive with behaviours shaped by trauma or neglect. They might struggle with trust, test boundaries, or express big emotions that require calm and steady responses. Helping a child through these challenges takes patience and resilience.
Foster parents also balance the needs of their own families with the responsibilities of fostering. Driving children to medical appointments, school meetings, and family visits can take time during regular work hours. Maintaining contact with biological families is often part of the process, which can be emotional or complex.
Another challenge is saying goodbye when a child moves on. Even when reunification or adoption is a positive outcome, it can still be difficult for foster families today goodbye or see a child move on. Preparing yourself and your household for transitions is part of the fostering journey.
Who Can Foster?
In Ontario, a wide range of people can become foster parents. You do not need to own a home, and you do not need to be married. Single caregivers, same-sex couples, and families with children of their own are welcome to apply. What matters is the ability to provide a safe and stable environment.
Safe Harbours looks for families who meet basic requirements:
- You must have a driver’s license and access to a car.
- You must provide a driver’s abstract.
- You must be insured for $2 million in car liability insurance.
- You need enough financial stability to cover your household expenses, since the per diem is not counted as income.
- You must pass a broad police sector check and child welfare background check.
- You must pass a medical check.
- You must complete training in PRIDE, first aid/CPR, cultural competency, caring for black children (Kujali), and trauma-informed care.
We also value diversity in foster families. Children benefit from placements that reflect their cultural or religious background, and we work to match them accordingly. If you are open, patient, and committed, you may be a good fit for fostering.
Traits of Successful Foster Parents
Successful foster parents share qualities that help children feel safe, supported, and understood. Patience is essential because children often need time before they can trust. Flexibility matters since schedules shift around appointments, visits, and school needs. A strong sense of empathy allows foster parents to see past difficult behaviour and focus on the child’s experiences.
Other traits include:
- Consistency in routines and expectations
- Good communication with case managers, teachers, and biological families
- Willingness to learn through ongoing training
- Ability to balance fostering with the needs of their own household
Families who do well in fostering often have strong support networks and a steady lifestyle that provides stability for children.
How Do You Know If Fostering is Right For You?
You know fostering may be right for you if you feel ready to open your home and your life to children who need care. Ask yourself if you can handle the daily responsibilities of parenting, plus the added challenges that come with trauma or uncertainty.
It helps to consider:
- Can your work and family schedule allow flexibility for appointments and visits?
- Do you have space in your home and in your routine for another child?
- Are you financially stable without relying on the per diem?
- Are you open to working with a team of professionals and following child welfare policies?
If you answer yes to most of these questions and feel motivated by the chance to help children, fostering could be a meaningful path for you.
When Fostering Isn’t the Right Fit
Fostering is not a good fit if you see the per diem as a source of income. It is also unsuitable if you are unwilling to adjust your schedule, open your home to oversight, or accept the emotional realities of temporary care.
Concerns such as privacy, financial instability, or lack of family support often signal that fostering may not work well. Being honest about your limitations protects both you and the children in care.
Contact Safe Harbours If You Have Any Questions About Fostering
At Safe Harbours, we are here to answer your questions and guide you through the fostering process. If you are ready to take the next step, reach out today and start the journey of making a lasting difference in a child’s life.