Bridgeway Family Homes

Our Families

BRIDGEWAY FOSTER PARENTS ARE OUR FOUNDATION

Bridgeway believes that the family is the best environment to promote warmth, nurturance, normalization and structure for children/youth in need. Bridgeway looks for Foster Parents who represent our mission, vision and values during the recruitment process. The importance of stable, mature, and healthy family dynamics are stressed. Families must present a willingness to gain an understanding of a foster child/youth’s difficult and often traumatic life experience which necessitates the need for protection in the foster care system.

As a result of partnering with over 350 Foster Parents since 1988, Bridgeway has come to understand the principles of Foster Parent recruitment, retention and placement stability.

Due to the extensive support given to our highly committed Foster Parents, the average length of service is over 7 years! This far exceeds the Ontario average of 2.2 years.

The life span of Foster Parents is significantly longer at Bridgeway which promotes the stability and the permanence offered to the children/youth in our care.

Longevity in fostering contributes to excellent outcomes for children/youth.

Our families understand the culture of youth. From 2001-2010, 81% of children/youth served with Bridgeway have been between the ages of 6 – 18 years.

Recruitment strategies are designed that intentionally target the needs of the Children’s Aid Societies across Ontario. Needs assessments are completed with Placing Agencies semi-annually; surveys are distributed to Placement Workers; Market trends are studied; Information is compiled and research documents are analyzed. These results are formulated into a strategic plan within Bridgeway’s Placement Services Area Team for the recruitment of excellent foster families.

  • Bridgeway Foster Parents are caring for the most difficult to serve population in need of foster care: youth 12-18 years of age. 49% of those being supported in Bridgeway foster homes are over the age of 12.
  • Siblings have the right to grow and to remain together. Bridgeway ensures that homes are ready and available to welcome siblings. 33% of all children/youth in Bridgeway foster homes are brothers and sisters secure in the commitment of their caregivers to respect their family bonds.
  • Children/youth are part of their family! 60% of the total population being cared for in Bridgeway foster homes are being raised and belong to a permanent family.