A Message from Anna



Welcome to 2025! Hopefully you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday season with your families and loved ones. It’s always so magical to see holidays through the eyes of children.

This year promises to be very busy for everyone. We know that you all give our children so much time, effort, and love. The work you do is not easy, but it is incredibly impactful. You don’t always see the impact of the love you give, but your foster children will carry these lessons and warm memories with them all their lives. 

To give you a sense of some of the happenings at FACS, we were very pleased to open our new group home for youth aged 9-14 in January. This home is in Welland on the same plot of land as Genesis house. It provides ten beds for youth with complex mental health and behavioural needs. Staffing is provided by our partners at Youth Resources Niagara, who work with our youth to create personalized treatment plans.

A number of children have already moved into the home, and we are so excited to see their new bedrooms. Some of these children have been living outside Niagara to access the care they need, and it is gratifying to bring them back to their home community where they’re close to familiar settings and their support networks.

Moving forward, we are continuing to be aggressive in our efforts to recruit new foster parents to care for our children and assist you in this important work. We will keep you updated on upcoming events and campaigns. As always, if you have friends or acquaintances you think would be interested in fostering, please connect them with our team so we can introduce them to this rewarding opportunity.

Wishing you all the best for the coming year,

Anna

Executive Director of FACS Niagara

New Ministry Guidelines for Child in Care



The Ministry has implemented changes for Child in Care including children on adoption probation. This includes children being seen 30 days from their admission to care date instead of the last date of contact. This change was effective as of January 1, 2025, so you may have seen some Child in Care workers already!

Part of the new requirements also include periodic updates to volunteers, staff and alternative caregivers. Stay tuned for more information in the next few weeks in regard to Police and Vulnerable Sector Checks. 

Together Groups Information

Together groups will meet the third week of each month on the following dates:

• St. Catharines: Cathy Austin - January 20, 2025 from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
• Grimsby: Betsy Witteveen - January 21, 2025 from 1 - 3 p.m.
• Port Colborne: Kim Jackson - January 22, 2025 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. 
• Pelham/Fenwick: Alex Edwards - January 22, 2025 from 9:30 am - 11:30 am.

Monique Jongsma is the contact for the groups and Foster Parent Association and can be reached at 905-321-9299.

Learning Opportunities: January and February 2025

Mandatory Foster Parent Training

All foster parents in Ontario are required to complete mandatory trainings to enhance our service to children and youth. To register for training sessions, please contact Kathy Derkacz at kathy.derkacz@facsniagara.on.ca.

Please note the following information about each of these mandatory requirements:

NEW! Kujali: Caring for Black Children

Kujali is a four-part, self-paced, e-Learning course for foster caregivers. It was developed in partnership between the One Vision One Voice Program (OVOV) at the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) and the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS). Embedded within the course are links to resources, and content that emphasizes the significance of integrating self-love practices into the care of Black children and youth. Learners can expect to complete this course in approximately 4 hours, offering learners the flexibility and convenience to learn at their own pace. The course is available in English and French.

To complete the curriculum online through the OACAS website, please speak with your worker for more details.

Trauma Informed Care Training

Upcoming in-person training opportunities at the St. Catharines office are listed below. Childcare is included at this training, as available. A pizza lunch will be provided.

• Monday, February 3, 2025 – 5 - 9 p.m.
• Thursday, February 6, 2025 - 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Support to Foster Parents Caring for Indigenous Children, Youth, and Families

• Saturday, February 22, 2025 - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. (in person at Niagara Regional Native Centre- 382 Airport Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0)
• Thursday, February 27, 2025 - 5 - 9 p.m. (virtual)
• Tuesday, March 4, 2025 - 5 - 9 p.m. (virtual)

Standard First Aid + CPR-C certification – Reminder: renewal required every 3 years

Renewal prior to your expiry date will be a 1-day course.

Certification can also be obtained privately through one of these providers:

St. John Ambulance: 905-356-7340 or 905-685-8964

Standard First Aid CPR-C & AED (CSA Intermediate) | St. John Ambulance Canada (sja.ca)

Canadian Red Cross: 905-680-4099

Red Cross Training | Take a Class | Red Cross

Perri-Med: 1-519-252-4174

Perri-Med | Contact Us to Book Your AED, CPR and First Aid Classes (perrimed.com)

3 Silhouettes: 289-228-0463

3 silhouettes – My WordPress Blog

March Break Camps

As we speed through January, now is the time to start thinking about March break camps. Start speaking with your children’s services worker now about camps you wish to recommend for your foster children/youth. If you’re not sure what’s out there, your children’s services worker can let you know what’s available, as well as which camps may be the best fit.

New Newsletter

Newsletters will be issued quarterly, with the next one coming in April. Information will also be sent out between newsletters for more timely sharing of information when needed.