Families given ‘Poor Relief’ amounts to foster children

Families that decide to foster children in St. Vincent and the Grenadines receive an amount ranging from EC$200 to EC$275 per month, about the same amount that the nation’s poorest receive through Public Assistance.

“And there is a case for an increase in the amount of money going to foster parents, and we are undertaking to increase the number,” Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves told Parliament.

“That’s a discussion which we had when we were preparing the budget, and it didn’t get inside of it. But that is something which I, personally,  think we need to give more than the 275, and we have to find a number.”

Gonsalves was responding to a question from opposition senator, Shevern John, who asked for an update on the monthly assistance given to foster parents over the past two years and whether an increase would be given, in light of the rising cost of living.

The senator also asked for an update on the problems the Ministry of National Mobilisation experiences with foster care retention, and an update on the criteria for returning foster care children to their original families.

Gonsalves, responding on behalf of the Minister of National Mobilisation, Social Development, Family, Gender Affairs and Persons with Disabilities, Senator Keisal Peters, who was absent, said the ministry provides three categories of care for children in need.

Each category is designed to address the varying circumstances and needs of children within the foster care system.

The first category is kinship care, which refers to a situation where the children can be placed with relatives.

Institutional care refers to the placement of children with non-relatives or institutions with trained people.

The third is foster care, which involves the placement of children with non-relatives who have undergone rigorous training and vetting to ensure that they can provide the necessary care, support and stability.

Gonsalves said 208 children are in placements in the varying categories, adding, “It is not an insignificant number, and I believe that if we have a system which, for instance, if there are more foster parents, we can have even more children.”

He said the government gives kinship caregivers a monthly stipend of EC$200, and EC$275 is given to those in institutional or foster care.

“I just want to point out that in most cases, the children end up with a number in excess of a $500 a month because many times they get what you call one off assistance for problem which has arisen — medical, the glasses, books, shoes, support and all the all the rest of it — transport, the whole works.

He said that first among the problems that the ministry faces is the limited pool of foster parents.

“Despite efforts by the ministry to recruit and engage individuals and families to provide temporary care for children in need, the number of available and eligible foster parents remains inadequate, given the demand,” Gonsalves said. 

“This is why I said that if you have more foster parents, we can have even more children placed.”

The prime minister said many foster parents are discouraged by “the perceived emotional, financial and logistical demands of fostering.

“For example, they get emotionally attached to the child, who may be later reintegrated with their biological family.”

Gonsalves said many cases come to court in which the foster parent sues the biological parents for custody of the child.

“And then, naturally, we have to vet people very carefully if we’re going to make them foster parents. We have to vet to ensure the safety of the child. I mean, it could be a complicated and lengthy process, and that may deter some families.”

The prime minister said some families do not want to go through the vetting process, but noted that this is important to the interest of the child.

“So that process, again, would further restrict people who may have an instinct to want to help,” Gonsalves said.

He said the government prefers that children go to a foster home with good foster parents.

“Of course, if they have kinship, their families to take care of them, because very often when they go to the institutional homes, they miss, sometimes, a lot of the love and care which you can get in the intimacy of a family,” Gonsalves said. 

“And of course, some foster parents say straight and plain to you that the money ain’t enough, and this is why you raised the question.”

Gonsalves said a teacher who is foster caring told him that the money is not enough.

“I said, ‘But you don’t have any more children. You like this child. …  you ain’t doing it for the money, really, because even though — I’m not going to carry it to a number, which you will find that you don’t spend something yourself on the child.’

“But still, we need to get that increase,” Gonsalves said.