Advertisement

Grandmother says foster parenting keeps her young, helps with healing

Grandmother says foster parenting keeps her young, helps with healing

A grandmother in Cumberland County who provides short-term care to foster children has a pitch for other retired people. With an empty house and time on your hands, why not take in a foster child for the weekend?

Martha Thompson and her husband have provided respite care — a weekend or summer getaway for children who live full-time with other foster families — for roughly 15 children in the five years since they retired. She told CBC's Information Morning that the benefits flow both ways.

"It gives us something to talk about over our morning coffee. It also connects us with the younger generation," Thompson told CBC's Information Morning.

"We also know that...the research has revealed that a big part of healing [in children who've experienced trauma] is just to surround the child with safety...and give a loving, caring relationship to that child. So we know that we're helping in some way with that healing."

Thompson said retired people, and particularly grandparents, are good candidates to provide respite care.

They often have the space, time and disposable income—plus the parenting skills—to provide weekend breaks for foster children, she said.

"This is a chance for them to reconnect and use those skills that they've learned over a whole generation and to pass them on the generation that comes behind."

Number of foster families dwindling

Vicki Black, provincial co-ordinator of foster care services in Nova Scotia, says respite care is a good opportunity for anyone who wants to help, regardless of whether they're grandparents.

"We're always looking for people with some time on their hands on their hands and some love to give...There are some people who haven't had the opportunity to be grandparents yet, and we'd like to talk to them too."

Black said with a dwindling number of foster families overall in Nova Scotia—a trend that matches what's happening across North America—it's more important than ever that foster parents with more children in their homes get the occasional break.

There are roughly 700 children in foster care in Nova Scotia, and about 570 foster families. 50 families just provide respite care.

'Like any other child'

Black said she would welcome "as many [foster families] as we could get", including retired couples, working couples, single people and people with no experience parenting.

"What we're looking for is adults who care about children and who have some love to share and we're prepared to take them and give them the information that they need," she said.

"At the end of the day, these are children just like any other child who need a normal life.'

Thompson said providing respite care helps create a normal life. She and her husband offer children the opportunity to take a weekend break in a relaxed and supportive environment.

"That's the role that we see in these children's lives — it's like them coming to their grandparents for the weekend. "