PRIDE Training and a SAFE Home Study
Getting ready to adopt a child in Ontario involves successfully completing 2 steps: PRIDE Training and a SAFE Home Study.
As part of the approval process, you will be required to complete the PRIDE (Parent Resources for Information Development and Education) training. This training consists of 9 three hour in class sessions. The training is mandatory. Modules covered in PRIDE include:
- Connecting with PRIDE
- Teamwork Towards Permanence
- Meeting Developmental Needs: Attachment
- Meeting Developmental Needs: Loss
- Strengthening Family Relationships
- Meeting Developmental Needs: Discipline
- Continuing Family relationships
- Planning For Change
- Making and informed Decision
The SAFE (Structured Analysis Family Evaluation) Home Study will take place during or after your training is completed. This mutual evaluation process includes multiple interviews in your home and identifies your readiness, willingness, and ability to foster a child.
During the training and home study process, you will be provided with a package that asks for several documents to be completed, including:
- Police Record Check for Service with the Vulnerable Sector
- Child Welfare Record Search
- Medical Report from your doctor
- Personal references
- SAFE Financial
These and a few other documents help to complete the assessment of your family. Often families are curious as to what we are looking for when we are assessing families for fostering. We know that children require stability, consistency, and security in their home environments. Typically, we have found that successful foster families have:
- Realistic expectations and the ability to understand the needs of children/youth
- Patient and strong parenting skills
- A strong commitment to a child or youth
- The ability to accept differences in others
- Know how to build up a child’s self-esteem
- Encourage a feeling of belonging within the foster family
- The patience to let children progress at their own pace
We know that life can bring challenges to all families at times. If your family has recently experienced a loss or is under significant stress, it would be better for you to wait for a period of time before continuing with your fostering plans. Having a stable, healthy family environment is key to a successful fostering experience.