Help us keep kids close to home! Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions is looking for Foster Care Providers!
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions is a Child Welfare (Simcoe & Muskoka) and Children’s Mental Health (Muskoka only) agency licensed by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. We support children, youth, families and communities with multiple services including fostering for children and youth up to 18 years old.
Our agency has an urgent need for foster care providers across Simcoe and Muskoka. We are looking for diverse caregivers who understand children’s needs. Children & Youth lose so much when they have to leave their community. Foster caregivers provide a safe home and a temporary solution for children and youth, while their families make the changes needed for them to come back home.
Would you consider opening your home and heart to providing care to youth and children? Fostering can be challenging, but it’s a very rewarding career. You don’t have to be perfect to make a difference in the life of a child. Fostering can be flexible and fit in with your lifestyle!
We encourage all applicants to apply regardless of sex, gender, marital status, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, orientation or religion.
Our application process, training and support will prepare you for your fostering journey. We find that all successful foster parents believe that the rewards of fostering, including building strong, loving relationships that last a lifetime, far outweigh the challenges involved. We offer a rate of $85/$155 a day per child to help support the cost of raising healthy, happy children and youth. Please inquirer today!
We look forward to hearing from you! Please share with anyone you think might be interested!
Responsibilities:
Drive the child(ren)/youth in your own vehicle to an appointment/activity, and pick up the child(ren)/youth at an appointed place and time
Assist the child(ren)/youth to get in and out of the vehicle safely
Escort the child(ren)/youth to and from the appointment activity
Requirements
18 years of age and older
A criminal record check (including vulnerable populations) free of charges or convictions
Possess a valid Ontario Driver's license and a safe driving record
Attend agency car seat training
A clean driver's abstract (obtained from Service Ontario)
Have access to a road worthy and safe vehicle
Minimum of $1 Million liability insurance
Patience and understanding
Reliable and punctual
Knowledge of the community
Able to offer physical support to the child(lifting), youth or adult
Trustworthy
Access to a computer (mileage submission)
Cell phone
Board members are concerned community members who are:
Supportive of the Agency’s Vision, Purpose and Values
Team oriented with good decision-making skills
Able to attend and participate in 10 Board meetings each year as well as committee meetings
Age 18 or over and live or work in Simcoe County or the District of Muskoka
While we encourage all interested persons to apply, as a skills-based board, we are highly interested in community members who have lived or professional experience in the following areas:
• French Language Service
• Indigenous Heritage
• Law/Legislation/Regulation
• Research/Academic
• Children’s Mental Health
• Education
• Communications / Fundraising
• Police/Corrections/Youth Justice
Varied skills, experience, capacity and attitude to fulfill expectations of this important role will be considered by the Nominating Committee.
**Confirmation of all prospective board members shall be conditional on receipt and review of a vulnerable sector / criminal record check, child welfare record check and COVID-19 vaccination.
Board members gain an understanding of the issues facing child welfare, children’s mental health and the process of governance. They also help to raise the visibility of the Agency by communicating our purpose and serving as ambassadors within the community.
Volunteer Drivers
Our volunteer drivers use their own vehicles to provide an invaluable service by assisting staff and foster families with the transportation needs of children in the care of SMFC. Volunteer drivers transport children and their families to various appointments such as access visits, medical appointments and schools throughout Muskoka and the Simcoe County region at the request of the Agency. Punctuality and reliability are a necessity for this position. Our drivers are compensated a fair rate per kilometre.