Marymound, a child fostering service with a branch in Thompson, celebrated National Foster Family Week Oct. 18 to 24 by hosting a dinner at the Riverview restaurant for foster parents they work with.
Marymound is an organization in Winnipeg, Thompson and throughout the province that is based on the values of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, an international group of Catholic women that ministers in 71 countries on five different continents. Marymound's primary mission is with children, youth and families who need support. They strive to provide safe living environments, individual relationships, academic preparation, therapeutic intervention and advocacy by supporting Manitoban children and their families.
Audrie Brooks, a clinical case manager with Marymound in Thompson, says the organization's values include spirituality that is inclusive to all spiritual beliefs; client services; human resources; communication; stewardship; environment and partnering with the community.
Marymound's programs in Thompson, which has been in the community for 40 years, include a receiving home and a continuum of programming offered by Treatment Foster Care and Futures. The receiving home is open to children and teens who are waiting for long-term arrangements to find a home-like environment. Children are able to access the receiving home through a referral by their child welfare authority. Futures is a community-based program that provides programming for families with young children - from programs like parenting classes to the Baby, Think it Over program aimed at teens. The treatment foster care aspect connects foster care parents and clinical case managers.
Brooks says Marymound takes on more higher-needs children than traditional foster care.
"There's fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, there's a lot of oppositional defiant disorder, where children really have a hard time with an authority figure and challenge everything," she says. "Many of the children we have for a few years, so that we can provide treatment to them."
Brooks says she is always eager to talk to new people about becoming foster parents, but points out that there are criteria they have to meet, including a background of working with children, CPR training, non-violent crisis intervention training and more.
"The foster parents take a lot of training. We have monthly meetings we talk about any issues. There's lots of writing, lots of documenting. They do monthly reports and daily documentation. It's a little more intense than your typical fostering," she explains.
Elaine and Ron Perepeluk are a couple that is looking at bringing a foster child into their home in the near future. Elaine says she grew up with a foster sister and has worked extensively with young people and is looking forward to being a foster parent.
"We're just waiting for our foster home study to be completed and to get a license, which takes about five weeks," she explains. "We're going to start actually meeting with the child now and seeing if it fits."
She also says she's very happy that Marymound is available in Thompson for potential foster parents to work with.
"We're thankful for Marymound and we believe that they're going to be a good support for us to be foster parents, because it takes a community to raise a child and they are very community oriented."
Marymound highlights its ability to work with children and families in a culturally sensitive way as one of the reasons its programs have been so successful in the city of Thompson.
