Foster Care

"The most memorable moment for me as a foster kid was when my foster parent introduced me as their kid. I knew then I was part of the family." Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary Foster Child

Foster Care provides a family home for children aged 0-18, who are unable to live at home.

Who Can Be a Foster Parent?

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Can be a single adult, a couple, or a family
• You care about making a difference in a child's life

Why Become a Foster Parent?

• Provide a child with a safe place to live and the loving care they need
• Enhance your family life
• Contribute to your community

How Do You Become a Foster Parent?

• Call 403-520-1504. We will help you decide if fostering is a fit for you
• We will provide the training and support you need to get started 
• Ongoing training and long-term support are provided

For more information about Foster Care please call 403-520-1504

 

One Foster Family's Story

Michele and Bruce Bolton have been fostering children since 2001 alongside raising their own two boys. Michelle says it's been a positive and eye opening experience.

"I remember our very first child placed in our home, he was as scared as we were but we were excited to have our first placement." Bolton continues, "Once he realized that he was safe, things came around and we started to build a relationship that continues today."

Families like the Boltons, however, are growing scarce while children in need of such families are only growing in number.

As Alberta's population grows, more children are in need of a safe and stable place to call home. Children come into foster care for a variety of reasons. Some children have been abandoned, some have conflicts with their parents, many have been neglected or abused, and for the health and safety of these children, foster care is desperately needed.

Trelaine Robanske, Manager of Intervention Foster Care for Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary, says her agency is in need of at least seven foster homes right now. On average, she sees eight to ten profiles a day of children needing homes.
Robanske says, "Today's families are not applying to be foster parents the way previous generations have, but the need is still high in our city. Children are remaining in shelters and group homes when they would do great in a family setting. We just need loving and qualified people to open their homes to children in need."

Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary offers training and support for foster families. The Bolton family says the training has made them feel more confident to continue fostering new children, "The continued support through Boys and Girls Club and our support workers has enabled us to help children with diverse histories."

Bolton says it's not just the foster children that have benefited from her family's care though.

"As far as enhancing our family, the friendships between our children and the foster children have created a lasting experience for them and us. Both our boys have special needs and having foster children in our home has been a great benefit to them. In return, the foster children learn to be very accepting of our boys."

Robanske says the process to become a foster parent takes about two months for training and screening.

Bolton believes the rewards of being a foster family are invaluable, "Having a positive influence in a child's life has been our greatest reward. We have maintained contact with our first foster child, as well as other children who have come and gone since. Choosing to foster was a wise decision."

For further information contact:

Trelaine Robanske, Manager of Interventions Foster Care
Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary
Tel: 403.520.1504
Email: trobanske@bgcc.ab.ca This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it.