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Reportfrom Queen ' s Park By GEORGE ASHE, MPP (PC-DURHAM WEST) Years ago, famiies in trouble could count on the help and support of relatives and good friends during a time of crisis. Today society bas changed, and with our smailer families and greater individual mobility, such help is often not available or unaccessible. The Governent of Ontario continues to be con- cerned about *the chldren 0f familes that do not function smoothly, or are disrupted by death, divorce, illness, deser- tion, imcompetence, arrest, drug addiction or alcoholism. WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1980, PAGE 13 Foster care realy worlks 1 Therefore, .it is vital that sufficient foster parents continue to be actively recruited. To do this, attitudes towards foster care must be changed. The public should be infornied of the essen- Uial role played by foster parents, and encouraged to support those of their friends, relatives and neighbours who are, or would be, foster parents. For this reason, the Governmnent of Ontario has launched a multi-media public awareness campaign on Foster Care, in order to make the public more aware of the program, to im- prove the image of foster care and to correct miscohceptions which exists.' The campaing will include six weeks of television advertising, eight weeks of radio commercials and four weeks of outdoor bilîboards. In addition to this, the Ministry of Community and Social Services is undertaking an overail examination of foster care in Ontario, including a review of the standards and guldelines for recruiting foster parents, the rates paid to them and the support services available to help foster parents. Recruiting foster parents is a slow and often arduous process, and retaining themn is very difficult. Foster parents are valuable to both the community and the agencies they work for. But, more important, they are extreniely valuable to the children who need them. If 'o are interested in learning more about foster parents, my Constituency Office in Ajax (683-6707)3, would be pleased to mail you information on the program and how to apply. If your own lifestyle does not allow you to take on this addltional role, support and encourage your friends and relatives who are or who are contemplating becoming foster parents. This encouragement is crucial..and it is a way for you to per- sonally demonstrating your belief that "Foster Care Works" We can't help without ~ ~ your help. ABILITY UNO WORKING WITH THEN WEATHERTRONR HEAT PUMP by General Electrlc " More efficient than an ordinary electric turnace. Because it doesn't have to make heat. It extracts heat from the outdoor air. " Easy to inStali where existing warm air ductwork is adequate. " One system heats and cools. Replaces both a conventionl furnace and a central air conditionîflg system. 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MI PIPE ING"P a real 8:30'- 4:0( In Ontario, assistance is available to these children from the local Children's Aid Society or Family and Children's Ser- vices. These agencies give a wide range of support to the famnily while it continues to function as a unit, or they can recommend the movement of a child from the natural home when there is a severe breakdown in the family relationships. foster Care is one form of substitute child care, and because it is provided within a family environment, it is the most natural form of substitute child care available. Unfortunately, there is a short supply of foster parents available in this province, and there are many reasons for this. In general, the public's knowledge of foster care is limited, inaccurate and largely negative. There are simply not enough people who want to be foster parents. Not a lot of aduits are willing to care for someone else's children, somne of whomn come from rather'sordid and confused backgrounds and who show many of the physical and einotional scars of their ex- periences. As well, very few people have the endurance W copo with the bureaucratic hassels involved in becomilga foster parent. It is generaily believed that only special people, with highly developed parenting skills and high levels of education can be foster- parents, and that being a foster parent bas very few rewards. People are not aware that one of the main charac- teristics of good foster parents is the high personal value they place on home and family life, and parenting. Or that many rewards do come fromn providing a happy family environment to help heal the emotional and physical scars caused to children by destructive family relationships. There bas been a drastic increase in the number of children requiring substitute care during the past five years. p r-..4&.~- UJU I ) MI Professional Job im ý.m e% 1 Liu