Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Aid Society (KHCAS) is doing a library roadshow, in hopes of recruiting more foster parents, visiting five branches between May 2 and June 12.
They will be in Stanhope May 2, Minden May 21, Gooderham May 27, Dysart May 30 and Cardiff June 12 – setting up for two hours. They visited Wilberforce April 30.
“We’ll talk to people and answer questions,” the KHCAS’ Barb Reay said. She noted people can go to the KHCAS Facebook pages for exact times. They also hope to get into farmers markets, and put flyers on community bulletin boards.
Reay said she’d been taking part in an Ontario-wide recruitment discussion group and is replicating what other CASs are doing They’re hoping to take advantage of places the public is going to. “It’s just really getting our face out there.”
She acknowledged there had been a lot of press about the KHCAS over the past year.
On Oct. 23, 2024, the provincial government appointed a temporary supervisor for the KHCAS, saying, “we no longer have confidence in the society’s ability to address its operational issues and growing deficit.” On the same day, the board of KHCAS announced they had tendered their resignations. Rosaleen Cutler has been appointed supervisor to oversee and operate the society.
Last summer, KHCAS announced plans to shutter its branch at 73 Victoria St. in Haliburton this year, and drop one full-time staff member, while committing to still offering its services across the County. They were talking to partners about accessing space elsewhere. The changes were to have taken effect for April 1, 2025 but there have been no updates.
The KHCAS attributed the deficit to years of funding reductions, increased costs, increased complexity of need, and the lack of services required by legislation within the funding allocation.
Reay said they are doing what they can to try to bring up their foster parent numbers. “Because we’ve had a steady decline in foster homes over the last few years.”
As of January of this year, the KHCAS had 35 open foster homes. In 2020, they had close to 100. “And the reasons I am being told are the pandemic, new legislation requirements, and the competitiveness of the OPRs (outside paid resource) in our area, as well as having an aging foster parent population. We had some really long-term amazing foster parents who have retired,” Reay said.
The organization is looking for all kinds of fosters. She said the compensation varies from $46 to $84 per child per day. She said parents are fully trained. They’re hoping to get 10 new families across the region. She said the goal is to keep kids within their communities so they don’t have to leave their supports. She said she has had inquiries from the Highlands.
Asked for what qualities candidates should have, Reay said, “patience and compassion.” It’s helpful if people have experience with children, but not necessary. She said people have to work as a team, “and be very understanding that the children’s families are always their families and our first, main objective is always to get kids back within their family home.
