Foster parent worried current system can damage kids

A Saskatchewan foster parent is speaking out about a fostering system she says can cause damage to some children.

Constance Perras has been fostering children for 11 years and has had about 40 kids come into her home under the program.

Now, she wants changes to asystem she said takes too long to put research recommendations in place, lacksresources, and doesn't ensure kids have a safe support system outside foster care.

"We've had so many reports coming out and so many recommendations. Ten years later, it's still the same. So something's not happening," she said.

Perras saidmore needs to be done torelieve foster homes from being overloaded. With a shortage of homes in the province, Perras saidparents are often getting more children than themaximum allowed numberof four per home.

"We're more overloaded than we ever were."

Rise in reliance on hotels and group homes

Garry Prediger is with the child and family programs section of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services. He admits the ministry has seen some unprecedented issues this past summer.

One issue he's dealing with is the number of kids staying in hotels and group homes when there isn't a foster home for them.

As of one week ago, Prediger saidthere were 15 children in hotel spaces in Regina and five in hotels in Prince Albert.

"I've been in this role for probably about ten years now and we haven't seen this kind of trend occurring in at least ten years," Prediger said.

Other children are being placed in group homes that are managed by external organizations and are supposed to be another temporary housing option.

The three group homes in Regina that hold 5-8 children are rapidly utilized, according to Prediger.

Prediger saidthe high volume of temporary housing in use right now is due to a number of factors, including fewer foster homes throughout the province and a higher call volume to child protection services.

Funding still primary issue

Perras saidit boils down to there not being enough money for foster care and support workers.

That's causing a slowing of resources to help kids, she said, which means they stay in care longer than they should.

Perras wants to see action when recommendations are made, rather than letting that information slide without change.

"Two, three years later, you're doing the same thing again. If it was working, we would have less children in foster care."