Parent
Counsellor Homes
Parent Counsellor Homes provide professional care-giving to older
children or youth (typically ages 9 - 14) with emotional or behavioral
difficulties. The benefit of a parent Counsellor home is that
young persons can learn pro-social behaviors within a supportive
family environment. It is believed that a family environment is
the most natural place, and generally the most effective place,
for young persons to learn appropriate behavior and how to function
in the community. Often young people that you will serve, have
learned maladaptive behaviors as a result of trauma, rejection,
neglect or abuse. Many of the young persons have difficulty in
dealing with authority, have difficulty in school, or difficulty
in forming healthy relationships. The role of Parent Counsellor
requires caring, commitment and perseverance, to reach the meaningful
goal of the young person learning appropriate adaptive behaviors
and relationships. This position is ideal for those who enjoy
working with children and youth, are interested in professional
parenting and who enjoy working within their home.
Each
parent Counsellor home is a member of a nine-person professional
team (five parent Counsellor homes, a Respite home, Program Coordinator,
Clinical Therapist and a Child and family Support Worker). Parent
Counsellors have opportunities for professional growth and development
through the pre-service and in-service training. They receive
support from team members and meaningful financial compensation
for their important work.
Training
In order to serve as a Parent Counsellor, one must complete all
the training required of regular foster parents. First, applicants
complete an 18 hour orientation for new foster parents. Once being
selected into the family foster care program, foster parents complete
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention program, Sensitivity training,
and parenting Resources for Information, Development, and Education
(P.R.I.D.E.) training modules. Training will provide you with
the additional information and skills needed to care for young
persons in therapeutic family foster care.
Support
The parent Counsellor program is designed so that Parent Counsellors
will feel amply supported. The team meets bi-weekly to provide
support and ideas to each other. the program staff numbers are
small (three staff, six homes) in order to provide frequent and
accessible consultation to families. Relief respite is built into
the program. Each Parent Counsellor family cares for only one
Parent counsellor child at a time, so that they have the time
to apply the treatment goals, attend the program meetings and
other professional appointments.
Who
We Are
Family & Children's Services of Cumberland County is a private
child welfare agency, providing child protection services under
the Children and Family Services Act. We provide a variety of
services to children and families: child protection services;
family couselling; single parent counselling; adoption services;
foster care, as well as; prevention services such as the Cumberland
County Family Support Centre (located at Maggie's Place). The
parent Counsellor Program is a new program to our Agency which
provides enhanced foster care services to young persons. This
program is established by our Agency through our commitment to
provide effective treatment to young persons in family environments.
Commonly
Asked Questions
Do I need special training and experience to be a Parent
Counsellor?
Not necessarily. we will train you and provide ongoing support
to you. It is helpful for you to have child rearing experience,
good health, a willingness to learn, a positive attitude towards
children and youth, and to be warm, caring and flexible. Parent
counsellors with experience beyond this, would be considered and
asset to the Program.
What is the process for becoming a Parent Counsellor?
In order to become a Parent Counsellor, the applicant must meet
all the requirements of becoming a Nova Scotia foster parent.
An interested person would contact the northern Region Recruitment
worker at 1-800-565-1884 to apply to become a foster parent. An
application package is provided including medicals, police checks,
child abuse registry searches, and reference checks. Next, the
applicant would attend and orientation program for new foster
parents. Following the successful completion of these steps, the
recruitment worker will refer you to the parent Counsellor program.
The parent counsellor program will meet with you to complete a
Mutual Family assessment.
Can I work outside the home?
The program is set up so that you regard your Parent Counsellor
role as a specialized full-time occupation. With the team meetings
and outside professional appointments, it would be virtually impossible
to maintain outside employment.
Who do I work with in the child's life?
The young person would be placed in your home for up to eighteen
months with the view that they will be able to be reintegrated
with their family. With the teams support, you would work with
both the child and family towards successful and lasting reintegration.
Do I receive payment for being a Parent Counsellor?
Yes. You will receive meaningful compensation for your important
service as a Parent Counsellor.
How do I learn more about being a Parent Counsellor?
You can contact our program directly at 667-3336 and ask to speak
with the Program Coordinator for further information about this
specific program. To apply to the program, interested persons
can contact the regional Foster Care Recruitment Worker at 1-800-565-1884.
Word of Mouth
By now you would have gained a good understanding of the Parent
Counsellor Program. By asking for this information on this program,
it indicates that you are interested in the well being of children.
Please pass this information on to other like-minded people that
you know. Word of mouth is often the best form of recruitment
in the Parent Counsellor Programs.
Cathy
Burke-Crowe
(Parent Counsellor Coordinator)
Tel: 667-4053
Email: crowec@gov.ns.ca |
Klaus
Muller
(Parent Counsellor Therapist)
Tel: 667-2904
Email: mullerkh@gov.ns.ca |
|
Amanda
Gordon
(Parent Counsellor Child &
Family Support Worker)
Tel: 667-6464 |
Lynn
Ruston
(Parent Counsellor Clerical)
Tel: 667-6455
Email: rushtolm@gov.ns.ca |
|
Holly
Martin
(Parent Counsellor Child &
Case Aide)
Tel: 667-4796
Email: martinhk@gov.ns.ca |
|
|
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