Family and Child Services of Lanark, Leeds & Grenville (FCSLLG) Executive Director Erin Lee Marcotte confirmed to lanarkleedstoday.ca they’re assisting in the investigation surrounding two foster parents in Smiths Falls who were charged with aggravated assault after a 14-month-old sustained injuries.
Marcotte said the home is under a private operator, not one under the umbrella of the FCSLLG, but they are mandated to investigate maltreatment concerns where the child or alleged perpetrators reside in the region.
This includes privately operated foster homes, separate from the homes operated by the children’s aid society.
Marcotte said the distinction is important.
Marcotte declined to comment on the Smiths Falls investigation as it remains ongoing, instead discussing the system in generalities.
In Ontario, privately run foster homes are overseen by the province through the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, which licenses and inspects all agencies.
The private foster agency handles day-to-day supervision of the home and foster parents.
Marcotte says a common practice sees local children aid societies (CAS) working in-step with private operators for the placement of children that are in care of the respective CAS, and the local organization would conduct follow ups in those homes, even if it’s privately operated.
In some cases, foster homes may not have any local children placed by the area CAS, but rather house youth from across the province, meaning the local CAS is not mandated to conduct routine follow-ups and only intervene if concerns are brought forth.
Marcotte said the process is extensive to become a foster parent within the FCSLLG umbrella, even after an initial screening and interview.
After that comes reference checks, home inspections and studies, financial statements, followed by a nine module pre-service training which encompasses about 27 hours of work before final approval.
Listen to the full interview below.
Story by Grant Deme
