The Process of Becoming Foster Ready with Beginnings
At Beginnings, we take care to ensure that fostering is the right fit for both your family and the children in our care.
The process begins with a preliminary screening. Depending on factors such as your geographic location and the needs of Beginnings at the time, we will review and respond to your inquiry. If we believe fostering could be a good fit, we will invite you to move forward with the next step of submitting an application.
The next steps include:
1. Completing PRIDE Training – Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education (PRIDE) is a provincially required training program for all prospective foster and adoptive parents in Ontario. You will pay for this training up front, but the cost will be reimbursed after approval.
2. Home Study Assessment – The Structured Analysis Family Evaluation (SAFE) is Ontario’s standardized home study format. In this process, a trained professional will visit your home for a series of interviews to learn more about you and your family. The assessment helps determine your suitability to provide foster care in a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment.
3. Submitting Supporting Documents – including references, medical forms, and background checks.
4. Ministry Review and Recommendation – once the above steps are complete, the Ministry provides the final approval of your home.
On average, the process takes about six months from application to approval. There are no out-of-pocket costs to you aside from the PRIDE training fee, which will be reimbursed.
It’s important to know that in Ontario, the process is the same for both foster and adoptive applicants — ensuring that every child is placed in a safe, stable, and loving environment.