Foster care is not about fixing the child, say Victoria residents Leo and Karyn Cooper, it is about providing love and support.

It is a big misconception that people who want to be foster parents often have, they said, and one that can be detrimental to both themselves and the child.

害羞草研究所淲e just provide a safe home, a warm bed, some food, and we害羞草研究所檒l turn it around with a little bit of love. It害羞草研究所檚 not always easy, but that is what it takes,害羞草研究所� Leo said.

The couple have been providing love and support to children in need for 15 years, they said, with plenty of highlights and challenges.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e had kids that have come in a physical disability, and then we watched one walk across the stage and get on the honour roll,害羞草研究所� she said.

It was a very proud moment for the family that brought a fair amount of tears for how far their children have come. The Coopers prioritize ensuring the foster children in their family are precisely that: part of the family.

害羞草研究所淓ven when they enter adulthood, they do not disconnect from us, but they have those additional connections alongside their biological family,害羞草研究所� Karyn said.

Working alongside the child害羞草研究所檚 biological family is also essential, as it strengthens the cultural background of the kid, they said.

害羞草研究所淭he biological families and ours are all one big unit.害羞草研究所�

Fostering teenagers is not a one-size-fits-all approach and will require different planning for various children, as everyone is unique, he said.

害羞草研究所淓verything is person-centred planning in our house, and the kids respect that,害羞草研究所� Karyn said.

Some have gone to college and gotten degrees, and some have just narrowly avoided going to jail, she said. These are massive accomplishments that make the Coopers feel proud.

A stable house is one of the most important things a family like the Coopers can provide to the children who come to live with them, they say.

Foster Family Month is celebrated in October to honour families like the Coopers who provide care, according to Dan Malone, executive director of Foster Parent Support Services Society, which is located right in Langford.

There is a desperate need for more families to provide care, Malone said, as some long-serving people are retiring.

The province has also increased the amount of money these families receive, but the money is not why people offer care, he said.

害羞草研究所淭hat is the biggest myth. It is not about the money. It is about providing love and support,害羞草研究所� said Malone.

An increase in compensation given to families who foster children will help to cover the associated costs of caring for young people, said B.C. Minister of Children and Family Development Mitzi Dean.

The increase was the second boost for families that the provincial government has given in just 10 years, said Dean.

害羞草研究所淎ll too often, the work of all caregivers is not given the respect or compensation that it deserves,害羞草研究所� she said.

Payments for families increased for people caring for a child 11 years and under from $450 a month to $1,465 per child, and children from 12 to 19 years old saw a rise from $513 to $1,655.

The increase was part of the provincial government害羞草研究所檚 2023 budget, and the first boost was in 2019.

Foster caregiving takes time, effort and patience, said Dean, but what matters the most is people who want to make a difference in a child害羞草研究所檚 life.

害羞草研究所淓veryone, including foster parents, wants to build a world where more young people can remain safely with family and community.害羞草研究所�

The goal of foster care is to reunite the children with their biological families eventually, but this does not always happen, said the Coopers.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e in a unique situation. The youth we get into our home already know they害羞草研究所檙e not going back,害羞草研究所� Karyn said.

害羞草研究所淭hey are a part of our family now.害羞草研究所�

It has been a gratifying and sometimes challenging experience, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives, they say.

The Coopers have seen foster families get burned out when providing care, and the most significant piece of advice they can give is not to do it alone.

害羞草研究所淚 find that some foster parents forget to take care of themselves, and when they forget to do that, they害羞草研究所檙e fostering in isolation,害羞草研究所� she said.

Organizations such as Foster Parent Support Services Society provide plenty of services, said the Coopers, and new foster families should take advantage of what害羞草研究所檚 on offer.

害羞草研究所淪ometimes, we have a foster family night to relax. We might all go to a movie, or we might all do scrap-booking or card-making. We try to have a fun evening,害羞草研究所� Karyn said.

The Coopers have personally experienced the positive impact of fostering and see the long-term benefits these children have with having a stable home.

害羞草研究所淭he girl who walked across the stage to get her degree 害羞草研究所� she now has her kids,害羞草研究所� Karyn said.