Foster Family Week Focuses on PRIDE

Community Services Minister Peter Christie today launched an important new program to improve training and support for foster parents. The program is called Parent Resources for Information, Development and Education, or PRIDE.

"Foster families are an extremely important resource, not only to the children in foster care, but to every Nova Scotian," said the minister. "The PRIDE program will help foster parents improve their skills, better enabling them to provide the care and love that children need in order to grow into responsible, caring adults. That benefits the entire community. We need to support foster families as much as possible."

The Department of Community Services first moved toward the PRIDE model in January 1999 by implementing PRIDE's introductory level of care.

PRIDE's goals include helping to strengthen foster families and improving the quality of foster care through preservice training, mutual assessment and ongoing professional development.

Mr. Christie launched Foster Family Week, Oct. 16-22, at a proclamation ceremony in Halifax. Staff and members of the Federation of Foster Families of Nova Scotia attended.

Also at today's ceremony, Mr. Christie unveiled a new foster care logo for Nova Scotia.

Special events such as banquets, recognition nights and receptions will be held across the province this week to thank foster families for their efforts.

Foster parents receive monthly financial support from the Department of Community Services to cover board, clothing and other expenses. If a child has special needs, the family is eligible for additional funding.

Currently, there are more than 600 foster families in Nova Scotia.

"Most foster care situations involve foster families working toward the goal of returning children to their parents," said Mr. Christie. "That takes enormous amounts of patience, understanding and parenting skills. The PRIDE program will assist foster families in meeting that important goal."

A 24-hour toll-free number, 1-800-565-1884, to the Federation of Foster Families of Nova Scotia provides additional information about foster parenting.