Long-term/Permanent care
Long-Term/Permanent Care is a foster-care arrangement that is expected to last until the child is 18, and hopefully continue long after. Permanent care arrangements are usually sought after a child has spent up to 2 years in short-term foster homes, and after enough time has passed for a court decide reunification with their family of origin is no longer an option. There is a big need for permanent carers of children aged 7 years and over, but also for children younger than that.
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For families leaning toward adoption, permanent care is a legitimate alternative, as it is long-term, and a stable family environment is sought for these children so they can thrive. Permanent care also comes with agency support for both carers and kids.
Story from a permanent carer:
I have never experienced such a challenge in my life. I immediately felt love for this little person – just as I loved my biological kids. But the challenges we’ve faced while they’ve grown and worked through their issues of belonging and identity have been immense. What I’ve appreciated the most is seeing my bio kids embrace their new sibling with joy, compassion and a maturity I didn’t know they possessed. It’s made us more resilient as a family and our love for our most recent addition is strong. I can’t imagine our family being any different – we’ve all been challenged, but we’ve all benefited so, so much.