Being a Caregiver at NIȽ TU,O is a meaningful and rewarding role. When you become a Caregiver, you’re choosing to play a significant role in keeping Coast Salish children connected to their families, communities, and culture. You’ll work with a team that includes a Family Support Worker and a Social Worker, with ongoing support and training along the way.
Wondering if you’re a good fit? If you feel inspired to be a Caregiver, you’re likely already a good candidate.
Here are some questions to help you decide:
- Do you identify as an Indigenous Person?
- Are you over the age of 19?
- Are you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually able to provide quality care for Indigenous children?
- Are you open to providing and enhancing cultural connections and traditional teachings to Indigenous children?
If you answered yes to all of the above, you’re ready to take the next step!
Applying to be a Caregiver starts with a simple phone call. Here’s the basic process:
- Call NIȽ TU,O’s office and ask for an intake worker
- Have a conversation with a NIȽ TU,O ₭EŚENTEL
- Set up an initial home visit
- Consent to prior contact check
- Reference check
- Medical reference
- Criminal record check
The full approval process generally takes 4-6 months. During this time, you’ll have the chance to prepare emotionally and practically for your role. NIȽ TU,O supports children ranging in ages and needs from babies to teenagers and youth with moderate to high support needs.
Every Caregiver Home will begin as a Regular Caregiver Home. This is the kind of home that provides the most basic level of Caregiving for children in NIȽ TU,O’s care, without any specialized needs.
After a year at this level, the Caregiver may ask for an assessment for their home to become a Specialized Caregiver Home. Specialized Caregivers are given additional training and education to make sure they can support and meet the needs of the children in their home.
The third type of Family Care Home is a Restricted Home. While Regular Caregivers are paired with a child in care who does not have a personal connection to them, Restricted Caregivers are paired with a child whom they are connected with, typically through family. Restricted Caregivers only care for that child, and don’t take in children they don’t know.
Children in care may need emergency, short-term, or long-term care. Here’s a brief overview of these different placement needs:
- Emergency Care is immediate, short-notice care used while other options are explored.
- Short-term or Temporary Care is care that lasts anywhere from 24 hours to 24 months while a long-term solution is arranged.
- Long-term Care is for children under a continuing custody order. This type of care often involves NIȽ TU,O ₭EŚENTELs and may include MCFD Social Workers.
Full-time Caregiving isn’t the only option. Some NIȽ TU,O Caregivers only do Respite and Relief care. This is less of a commitment but is just as important as full-time Caregiving.
Respite Care is an integral part of caregiving when a committed and reliable Caregiver temporarily cares for a child to give the child’s biological family a restorative break. At the end of this break, the child returns to their biological family.
Similar to Respite Care, Relief Care is when a Caregiver temporarily cares for a child to give the child’s primary Caregiver a break.
Respite and Relief care can be a great way to dip your toes into the world of Caregiving to see if it’s a fit for you. This kind of care is typically three to six days per month, most often over weekends.
We also have a type of care called the Extended Family Plan. This is care provided by someone who already has a relationship to the child while the biological parent maintains custody or guardianship.
The NIȽ TU,O team works to keep youth and children connected to family, community, and culture. If you’re ready to walk this path with us, contact us today to speak to an intake worker and begin your Caregiver journey!
