sunday

news

tie

British” ‘Columbia’ 3.
_ approximately. 5,000
‘foster - parents have
- received a “welcome.
-. Christmas. : gift from
. Human- Resources|
Mibaiater Grace | -Me-°
Carthy. “ee a annual
_Hnergase, of more than

_.$2:_milHon_-in-:-basic..
-maintenance rates for

foster childten..

1

‘The ‘Homan, Resources |

Ministry . supports. 5,700
foster children in close to
5,000 foster homes around
the province. The increase
: in. maintenance and clothing
rates became effective
November },

“Foster parents have a
special place in the hearts of
British Columbians. in’ this

Increased maintenance. rates | in E B. C.

“Year. of. the Child and. the

Family,” - said McCarthy.
‘'Foster parents are.
volunteers, opening | their

homes to children who are
‘needing special support and
“understanding.”

The - rates paid to foster

‘parents. are calculated to *

 feflect ‘the actual costs ot
maintaining a child,

“eluding food transportation.”
clothing, ‘etc. The province

‘last raised the rates in June |

1977.

A

Following are the new
monthly rates which the
ministry pays for each foster
child. The 1977 rates are in
parenthesis: age. birth to 5
years, $132.36 ($112,51); age
6 to 9 years, $160.96
($137.60); age 10 to 11 years,

$183.44 ($157.32); age 12 to ”

13 years, $206.66 ($177.69);

age 14 to 19 yea $230.24
($198.37), =

‘

‘Based on the individual”
needs ‘of each’ child,
ministry can also pay special
' fates for extra costs involved
in caring for.a child with
‘Special needs,

’

wll

‘The: minister announced =:
“the increase’ at the third an- _
nual Foster Parent Recogni-

tion Night for the Westside

(Region 17) area of Van-—
~eouver,’at the’ Knox United ~~

Church Fellowship’ Centre.
About 70 foster parents were
honoured at the Recognition

Night, with {3 people receiv- _
-ing Year of the child and the |

Family Achievement
Awards for their outstanding
contributions as
parents,

McCarthy noted a number
of other recent initiatives
taken by the Ministry of
Human Resources to im-
-.prove cate and planning for
children.

the -“"produced for all.

foster |

needs of each child.

“Life Books”. ‘have been.
‘foster -

children, ‘so that the, child’.
‘can develop a’ permanent |
‘record of. life’ experiences -.
. and family history. The book’ ’

is entitled...
Grow”, oO

The ministry has also in-
itiated a campaign to find --
permanent homes _ for
children who are mentally or
physically , handicapped, or.
have other special needs, |
There are children for whom _
it is difficult to find homes.
The ministry will be making

“Watch | Me

‘a special effort to recruit ad-

ditional foster homes ‘this

winter.
There are 1,400 foster
children in) Vancouver,

However, more homes are
needed so that social

‘workers have a variety of

homes to chopse from in
planning for the individual

ye

Our integrity at Edgemont Interiors will not
allow us to represent anything but quality mer-
. chandise and quality workmanship.

if you do compare prices, we urge you to ask
for our Installed price.

eogemont tateriors Ltb,

CARPET & LINO CENTRE”. C
2029 Lomsdale Ave..."
(just across from London Drugs)