Wanted: someone to take on extra kids, answer emergency phone calls in the middle of the night and who is very patient, flexible and family-oriented.
It's a tough order, but approximately 10 families in Squamish have taken on the challenge.
Parents who work with the foster care program were thanked at a lunch on Wednesday (Oct. 27) for their hard work.
"We're so busy we don't stop and take the time to say thanks for the 24/7 job they do," said Janna Everett, who works for the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
The lunch was a way of recognizing the foster parents, who because of confidentiality issues keep a low profile, she said.
She described foster parents as being "family oriented" and "very patient and flexible."The commitments foster parent make are varied.
"It's pretty open," she said. "A lot of people aren't sure if it will work for them or not."
Care can range to long term, to a few nights if there is an emergency and a child has no place to go. There are around 36 children in Squamish in foster care.
And there is always a need for more families.
It's nice to have the flexibility of different types of families so children can be matched to them, Everett said. "It's always an ongoing need. It's hard to find volunteers."
One foster mom who has been around for 19 years loves the long-term benefits of having foster kids.
"We've got kids who were foster kids who now have kids and we're like grandparents," said Norma, who has former foster kids come and visit.
Norma's family has just adopted two girls that had been in their care for eight years, and have two grown children as well.
She got involved in foster care because she didn't want to go back to work, and she loved working with kids.
Laura is new to the foster parenting fold. She started in June of this year.
"I'm a stay-at-home mom and I wanted to do something good," she said.
"We thought we had a good home for a child coming out of a volatile situation."
For information on becoming a foster parent call 604-892-1400.
