To the editor:
In the Kelowna area, more than 185 families open their homes and their hearts to children in need of a safe place to live for a while.
They care for children of all ages, from newborns to 18-year-olds, who come to fostering for many different reasons. Sometimes children stay for a day or two, sometimes for a year or longer. Often they develop relationships that last a lifetime.
What does it take to be a foster parent? Foster parents are patient and loving and understand how to meet the diverse needs of children. Foster parents maintain a stable, structured and positive home environment. Foster parents train regularly to improve their skills and they support children’s needs to maintain family and cultural connections.
Most of all, foster parents care about children. They’re willing to meet the challenges of helping children through difficult times, because they believe they can and do make a difference.
October is Foster Parent Appreciation Month in B.C. If you know someone who is a foster parent, let them know how special they are.
Joan Kirkbride,
Foster Parent
coordinator
