Foster a Future Campaign Encourages Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to Become Foster Parents

Today, the Provincial Government builds on the success of phase one of the Foster a Future…Foster a Child Today multi-media campaign with the launch of phase two. Through the campaign, a key component of the new continuum of care strategy, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are encouraged once again to open their hearts and their homes to children and youth who need a safe and nurturing place to live for a week, a month, a year, or longer.

“The Foster a Future campaign demonstrates our government’s ongoing commitment to enhance the placement options for children and youth in need of out-of-home care,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. “We recognize the importance of matching children and youth with a foster family that best meets their specific needs, and to date, this campaign has been extremely effective with the creation of almost 100 new placements. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our new foster parents for coming forward, as well as existing foster parents for their continued dedication.”

Through the continuum of care strategy, the department is working to eliminate the need for current Alternate Living Arrangements (ALAs). In 2010, there was a high of 72 children in ALAs and as of today, with children being matched to more suitable placements such as foster homes, the number of children in ALAs has been reduced significantly to approximately 20.

Phase two of the recruitment campaign, which features Allan Hawco of the television series Republic of Doyle, will appear in television, radio, print, online, billboard, and cinema advertisements. The ultimate goal of the campaign is to create awareness about the critical shortage of foster homes in the province, as well as recruit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to become foster parents.

“We are very pleased with the initial community response to the Foster a Future campaign,” said Diane Molloy, Executive Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association. “We always believed that if the people of our province were aware of the need for more foster homes, they would reach out and as a result of this campaign, they have. We thank those who have come forward to open their hearts and homes and we encourage others to consider this very worthwhile and rewarding experience.”

For more information about becoming a foster parent, visit www.FosteraFuture.ca; contact the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services toll-free at 1-855-683-8111; or the Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Association toll-free at 1-877-754-0218.

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2013 09 16                                            4:20 p.m.