FREDERICTON — Canada is having a foster-parent crisis, with so few people willing to serve that one province is preparing to house infants in group homes if necessary.
On Prince Edward Island, there are just 60 foster homes for about 225 children in care.
Maureen MacEwen, provincial co-ordinator for P.E.I. Child Protection Services, says cribs have been put in five provincial group homes in case infants requiring foster care have to be housed there.
Wayne MacFarlane, president of the P.E.I. Federation of Foster Families, says the shortage is putting a lot of pressure on the foster parents left in the system.
According to the 2011 census, there were 47,885 children in care across Canada, with the majority aged 14 and under.
Sheila Durnford, president of the Canadian Foster Family Association, says there are lots of different ways to try to recruit new foster families, but the most effective is word-of-mouth from satisfied caregivers.
