Welcoming a child into a home is not a novel concept in the typical Caribbean household. Most people have shared their home with extended family or have been welcomed in another’s at one time or another.
“It takes a village to raise a child,” as the old saying goes, but sometimes that village may not necessarily be as close to home as most may think.
For the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, however, getting people to volunteer to become foster parents to children in need has proven to be a challenge in recent years. Not because of an unwillingness to help, but rather the fear of becoming attached to a child who won’t become a permanent member of the family.
“I feel as though people get hung up on that temporary care,” said Anjuli Tewari-DeFague, team lead of the Foster Care Unit. “Something about not having that permanent care; once they hear ‘temporary’ they get turned off. Everybody wants to adopt.”
She said the authority has always encouraged foster parents to get attached. “Our argument is, even if it’s for a short time, you can make such a difference in a child’s life.”
[caption id="attachment_912083" align="alignnone" width="419"] Anjuli Tewari-DeFague, team lead of the Foster Care Unit at the Children’s Authority TT. - Photo courtesy Anjali Tewari-DeFague[/caption]
She said living in Trinidad, it has always been a part of the community culture to help care for children. “We were all brought up doing it. We helped out in some form or fashion in our families. Whether it’s extended relatives, someone from church, or a family friend to come in for a short period and then say goodbye.”
September is Foster Care and Adoption month and the authority is encouraging the public who are willing and able to become a part of the national “village” to help care for displaced children.
Tewari-DeFague said there are currently 56 approved foster care providers in TT, including four foster parents in Tobago. However, there are 78 children in foster care. The authority is at capacity and most foster parents have multiple children in their care.
She said the international slogan for foster care is #GetAttached. “We want people to get attached. Children need secure attachments in order to prosper and flourish as a young person. So what if we have to say goodbye. We say goodbye all the time.”
She said although many people have a fear of bonding, even if it’s for a short period, the time spent with a foster child can change the trajectory of that child’s future.
Tewari-DeFague said the application process can take from four to six months and it begins with ensuring the applicant understand the commitment. She said although the authority conducts sensitisation workshops at least once a month, people still confuse foster care with adoption. Adoption is permanent, whereas foster care is temporary.
“Some complain it’s a lengthy process, but when you think about it, we are basically approving you to take a child into your home. We h
