The Children Aren't Broken, They're Hurting

Foster children have experienced trauma and loss, but they are not broken. They are hurting and need understanding, patience, and unconditional love to heal and learn to trust again.

You're Actually Part of a Team

Foster parents work as part of a collaborative team including social workers, support staff, and other professionals who help navigate the foster care system and provide resources.

Reunification Is Beautiful – and Bittersweet

The goal of foster care is often reunification with biological families. While this is a positive outcome, it can be emotionally challenging for foster parents who have formed deep bonds with the children.

A Support System is a Must

Foster parents need strong support systems including training courses, resources, and a community of other foster parents who understand the unique challenges of fostering.

You'll Change, Too, Not Just the Child

The fostering journey transforms foster parents as well as the children. It's a profound experience that changes perspectives, builds resilience, and deepens capacity for unconditional love.

ALBERTA

TENACITY

RESILIENCE

SPIRIT

GRIT

IF YOU HAVE IT, 
A FOSTER KID NEEDS IT.

Smiling man wearing round glasses and a black turtleneck sweater.

ALBERTA FOSTER KIDS NEED ALBERTA FOSTER PARENTS.

Sounds obvious, right? But think about it.

Tenacity. Compassion. Resilience. Patience. Character. It takes all those things and more to thrive here in sometimes tough, always beautiful Alberta.

So, if you’ve got those qualities, did you ever think about sharing them with someone?

The door to fostering has never been more open than it is right now. And there’s a whole support community behind it. Including us, AFKA: The Alberta Foster and Kinship Association.

WATCH THE DOC

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What do foster parents look like? look in the mirror.

Fostering isn’t about meeting a stereotype. It’s about meeting a child where they are.

Caregivers today come from every community, cultural background, faith and identity. Foster parents can be single or partnered, young adults or empty-nesters, in common-law or same-sex relationships, or anywhere in between.
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What unites foster caregivers is a calling. A willingness to open your home and your heart to a child or youth who needs safety, stability, and someone in their corner.

THE 6 TRUTHS & TAKEAWAYS ABOUT FOSTERING.

At AFKA, we give Caregivers something they appreciate even more than support. We give them the truth. And if you’re considering this journey, we want you take it with both your heart and your eyes wide open.

So here’s the big things about fostering you’ll want to know: the good, the tough, and the transformative.

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Take the "am I ready?" Quiz.

If you’re wondering just how ready you are to take on take on foster care, we’ve put together a super-quick quiz that will give you a good idea. You’re sure to learn a few things about yourself and fostering, so take it now!

take the quiz

SEE. FEEL. BELIEVE. WATCH THE DOC.

This brand-new short film is the most open and real sharing of what fostering means in Alberta ever made. You’ll hear from the people who support foster parents, understand better than ever what being without parents does to a child, and see how you can change it – just by being your caring, ever-present self.

WATCH

Lazy Video for Vimeo on Webflow please check this page https://pasta-tricks.webflow.io/video/lazy

their

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names

are amy,

Kevin, David

but people

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call

them

Young child wearing a red and white striped tank top making a playful face outdoors near playground equipment.

broken,

Dangerous,

unplaceAble.

Constantly uprooted, their trust shattered, many foster kids never learned how to love or be loved.

But here’s the thing. They don’t need you to be a psychologist or a saint. They need a secure base, a safe haven, and a dependable adult to meet their needs with consistency, guidance and love.
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They need persistence, not perfection.

Over time, as they start feeling that life can actually be safe, even fun, those new feelings will slowly start to fill up the black hole of abandonment inside them, that’s been holding them back from trusting and loving.

YOU
WON’T
BE ALONE.

Giving love unconditionally? Gaining the trust of a kid who’s never felt it? That’s hard for anyone.

So if you jump in, there’s people to help you navigate complex systems, dozens of courses and resources, and a supportive community of other foster parents who know what you’re going through, because a lot of people won’t. Don’t worry if there isn’t a big foster parent community where you live. You’ll have one.

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CHOOSE YOUR NEXT STEP.

START THE JOURNEY.

To find out about becoming a foster caregiver, contact Children and Family Services or a Delegated First Nation Agency who will assign a worker to answer any questions and help you through the application process.

1-844-957-0552

GET STARTED

TALK TO
AFKA.

Maybe you’d like to learn more, but not just from a website? Click below to contact AFKA and we’ll set up a phone call with a real person!

TAKE THE
QUIZ.

In less than two minutes, you’ll get a good idea of where you are in your fostering journey, and what to do next to grow your knowledge or even move forward.

TAKE THE QUIZ

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SOMEONE NEEDS WHAT YOU HAVE. AND WE DON’T MEAN A SPARE ROOM.

We can’t say it enough: Fostering is more possible for more people than ever. So set up a chat or sign up to keep learning more. And to learn more about AFKA and fostering anytime, visit us at afkaonline.ca