Recruitment
The FPSS Society works cooperatively with Ministry staff and community members to develop and innovate strategies in which to attract and recruit prospective family caregivers and/or adoptive families.
Attention to community ethnic diversity is of vital importance. Aboriginal and other cultural societies play an important role in this process. The FPSS Society works in partnership with Ministry in order to deliver the most comprehensive information to prospective foster parents within the community.
Potential candidates must be given the impression that foster parenting is a profession of which they can be proud. They must be committed individuals who understand and appreciate the role of a foster parent. The children of our community must be their primary concern, and they must understand the importance of working respectfully with the children’s families if reunification is in the child’s best interest and plan of care. They must be prepared to work cooperatively and in partnership with Ministry staff to provide the child with the best care possible. The Ministry expectation that they will access on-going training and education, and support services must be explicit – not merely implied.
Strategies to recruit suitable candidates would include the following processes:
• Advertisements in The Island Connection newsletter
• Targeting specific ‘types’ of caregivers as requested by MCFD
• Demonstrating a positive public image through labelling, welcoming office environments, etc.
Information sharing:
The FPSS Society works in partnership with Ministry to attract and recruit suitable prospective Family Care Home caregivers and/or potential Adoptive Families. FPSS Society staff provides access to accurate, detailed informational in formats such as brochures, pamphlets, videos, PowerPoint presentations, and local Information Sessions.
Information outlines the recruitment process and provides a realistic, candid description of the potential rewards and challenges of foster caregiving and the role of Family Care Homes. This allows potential foster or adoptive parents to self-screen based on a clearer understanding of the expectations and process of fostering.
Research indicates that people are more satisfied and more likely to remain in a job when they have realistic previews of the job expectations. Prospective foster parents who have been fully advised of the expectations are far more likely to be successful in their role as a caregiver and remain committed to that role.