A call is being made for more Barbadians to foster children.
Director of the Child Care Board (CCB), Roseann Richards, made this appeal during the launch of Child Month, which is being celebrated under the theme Nurturing Children: Strengthening Families.
Noting that there are currently 17 children in foster care with 14 families, as a family is currently fostering more than one child, Ms. Richards said the aim was to extend the reach.
“We are hoping to recruit more foster parents. During the month, we are going to have a Foster Parents’ seminar, [and] this is one of the recruiting drives we use…,” she said.
She explained that fostering provided the best approach to give children who come into the care of the CCB, an opportunity to be a part of a family setting, rather than being raised in an institution.
However, she said while persons ask about the process of fostering a child, they then had to return and discuss the matter with their families, who would also need to give their consent to create a blended family.
Meanwhile, Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, announced that Government was giving consideration to raising the money allocated for those who foster children.
He pointed out that the last raise was over 20 years ago, and foster families still receive $100 per week per child.
Mr. Humphrey said the Ministry was preparing to take a paper to Cabinet next month, and once approved, the funds would be increased.
However, he outlined the foster care programme went beyond increasing fees, and stressed that there also needed to be an analysis, introspection and assessment of the entire programme to make it the best it could be for the children.
“For the children we also have to look at their experiences and strengthen the parts which we feel were good, and get rid of that which is not so good,” he outlined.
Persons interested in fostering a child or children must be 18 years and over, working, single or married, in good standing and willing to conform to a background check. The officials noted that children as young as a few months up to the age of 18 may be fostered.