Caring Families Society

Campbell River Splash Park
2025-06-12 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Vancouver)
Foster Family Wrap-up at Splash Park (Weather Permitting) Thursday, June 12th, meet around 3:00pm Sportsplex 1800 South Alder Street, near Penfield Road Everyone welcome! Open to ALL foster caregivers. Please bring the kiddos (or come on your own), hats and towels, lawn chairs, and snacks, and join us at the Willow Point Splash Park (weather permitting). Hosts will be on site with light refreshments. There is no charge to access the park. Washroom, change rooms and playpark nearby. This is a drop in event, no RSVP needed.

Safe Babies Program Knowledge Exchange
2025-06-19 10:30 - 11:30
Safe Babies Program Knowledge Exchange (Virtual)
Thursday, March, 20th, 10:30am to 11:30am Topic: Period of PURPLE Crying for Caregivers
Thursday, June 19th, 10:30am to 11:30am Topic: A.C.E.S. – what do we know about toxic stress
To register for these events please use this link: https://learn.fpsss.com/courses/vi-sb-monthly/

Safe Babies Meetings
2025-06-26 11:00 - 13:00, 2025-07-24 11:00 - 13:00
Safe Babies Meetings
Thursday, March 27th, 11:00am to 1:00pm
Thursday, April 24th, 11:00am to 1:00pm
Safe Babies caregivers meet with Angela Hatch monthly, in-person to connect, support, and discuss information pertaining to the issues and care of vulnerable infants. They cover new protocols for homes and updated information. Guest speakers are sometimes invited.

Nanaimo Foster Caregivers Support Mornings
2025-09-09 10:00 - 11:30
Nanaimo Foster Caregivers Support Mornings Tuesday, September 9th, 10:00am to 11:30am Tuesday, October 14th, 10:00am to 11:30am CFS Office, #102-6421 Applecross Road, Nanaimo Drop in to connect with other foster caregivers who understand the unique challenges and joys fostering gifts us with. Nanaimo Coordinator Bonnie will host these mornings which include coffee/tea, snacks, door prizes and optional crafts or activities. Watch your emails for more details closer to each event date!

Lunch and Learn: Campbell River
2025-09-11 11:30 - 13:00, 2025-10-09 11:30 - 13:00
Lunch and Learn Thursday, September 11th, 11:30am to 1:00pm Thursday, October 9th, 11:30am to 1:00pm CR Family Services, Conference room, 487-10th Avenue (2nd Thursday of the month) All foster caregivers are welcome. This is your space for connecting with peers, building community, and sharing practical learnings for coping with the stresses of being a public parent. Bring your lunch or join us for the light refreshments supplied. Watch your emails for updates about discussion topics. Contact Lindsy or Judy for more information.

Circle of Security Parenting Program
2025-09-15 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-09-22 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-09-29 12:00 - 13:30, 2025-10-06 12:00 - 13:30
Mondays, September 15th to November 3rd, 12:00pm to 1:30pm Facilitated by Fostering Early Development Open to Foster Caregivers only. At times, all caregivers feel lost or without a clue about what our child might need from us. Imagine what it might feel like if you were able to make sense of what your child was really asking from you. The Circle of Security Parenting program is based on decades of research about how secure parent-child relationships can be supported and strengthened. Understand your child’s emotional world by learning to read the emotional needs Support your child’s ability to successfully manage emotions Enhance the development of your child’s self esteem. Honor your innate wisdom and desire for your child to be secure.

REPLAY: How to Care During Times of Grief and Loss
2025-09-16 - 2025-10-28
Tuesday, September 16th to Tuesday, October 28th Presented by Ashleigh Martinflatt Open to Foster Caregivers, Kinship/OOC Caregivers, Social Workers, and others connected to fostering. Access to the recording of the April 1st, 2025 workshop will be available for a limited time. Grief and Loss are interwoven throughout the foster experience. Caregivers may be serving multiple placements with complex needs that can make dealing with the impacts of various grief and loss issues particularly challenging. Presenter Ashleigh Martinflatt focused on how caregivers can care give during times of grief and loss with particular focus on death through overdoses and suicide completions. Ashleigh Martinflatt is a registered social worker, clinical counsellor, and a post-secondary instructor. She teaches courses on trauma, child abuse, and neglect in both Social Work and Child and Youth Care degree programs. Her areas of passion include child protection, adoption, at risk youth, family support, and community prevention programs. Registrants can access the recording at any time throughout the 6-week period. Register: https://learn.fpsss.com/training/rhtcdtogal/

Cowichan Valley Foster Caregivers Mornings
2025-09-17 09:30 - 11:30
Foster Caregivers Mornings Wednesday, September 17th, 9:30am to 11:30am Wednesday, October 15th, 9:30am to 11:30am Cowichan Community Center – Nitinat Room, 2687 James Street These gatherings are great way to connect with other foster caregivers who understand the unique challenges and rewards of fostering. The Nitinat Room is on the second floor of the Cowichan Community Center. As September is FASD Awareness month, printed relevant resources material and book prizes will be available at the gathering. October is Foster Caregiver Appreciation month so for this month’s gathering, your Cowichan Valley Foster Parents Local is collaborating with CFS Coordinator Sandra to cook up something special! Please watch your emails for more information about these meetings!

Business Side of Fostering
2025-09-18 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-09-25 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-10-02 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-10-09 09:30 - 11:30
Thursday, September 18th and September 25th, 9:30am to 11:30am Facilitated by Interior Community Services Open to Foster Caregivers and Social Workers Do you want to understand your role, responsibilities and rights from a business perspective? If so, this two-part, four-hour course is for you! We will cover 1. The ins and outs of your contract 2. The Care Home Investigation (protocol) and quality of care review process 3. What (and why) to document and report 4. Insurance/WCB for Foster Caregivers 5. Resources For more information, contact Marna Forsyth at 250-698-2017 or mforsyth@interiorcommunityservices.bc.ca Register: https://learn.fpsss.com/training/bsfsept25/2025-09-18/

Safe Babies Caregiver Meeting and Knowledge Exchange
2025-09-18 10:00 - 11:30
Campbell River Safe Babies Caregiver Meeting and Knowledge Exchange Thursday, September 18th, 10:15am to 11:30am Topic FASD Thursday, October 16th, 10:15am to 11:30am Topic Infectious diseases/conditions CR Family Services Board room, 487-10th Avenue – note new room! (3rd Thursday of the month) This is a hybrid event. Join in person at CRFS or online via the Zoom link found in on Caregiver Learning Network. Sign in using this link and following the prompts https://learn.fpsss.com/courses/vi-sb-monthly/ For more information about our meetings, contact Judy at uicoord@fpsss.com.

Comox Valley Safe Babies Group
2025-09-18 10:30 - 11:30
Comox Valley Safe Babies Group Thursday, September 18th, 10:30 to 11:30am Thursday, October 16th, 10:30 to 11:30am In-person at The Foundry Multipurpose Room 575 10th Street, Courtenay Please note the changes for this year’s gatherings. We will meet at the foundry and spend the first half connecting with the Safe Babies Island Wide Knowledge exchange. These gatherings feature discussions to keep your caregiving skills current and an opportunity to “check in” with fellow caregivers! Experienced caregivers and MCFD Resource Worker are always in attendance. Please arrive a few minutes early as we will get started right on time.

Safe Babies Caregiver Knowledge Exchange
2025-09-18 10:30 - 11:30
Safe Babies Caregiver Knowledge Exchange Thursday, September 18th, 10:30am to 11:30am Topic FASD Thursday, October 16th, 10:30am to 11:30am Topic Infectious diseases/conditions (3rd Thursday of the month) This is a regional online event. Join at https://learn.fpsss.com/courses/vi-sb-monthly/ and follow the prompts to the Zoom link. See page 13 for more details.

Orange Shirt Day: Stories and Gathering
2025-09-19 15:00 - 17:00
Orange Shirt Day, Stories and Gathering Friday, September 19th, 3:00pm to 5:00pm Courtenay Library, 300 6th Street, Courtenay In honour of Orange Shirt Day, we will be gathering to share food, stories, and learning. We welcome families in this afterschool learning to take part in an orange shirt day story walk, make an orange shirt pin, share food, and learn about this important day together. This event will have options for all ages and provide an opportunity for families to sign up for library cards. Stay tuned for final details and poster.

Bridge to Belonging Playgroup
2025-09-22 00:00
Bridge to Belonging Playgroup Monday, September 22nd, 10:00am to 11:45am Monday, October 27th, 10:00am to 11:45am Monarch Room, Oliver Woods Community Centre Open to all Central Island Foster Families. This playgroup is resuming in September with a change from the 4th Friday afternoon to the 4th Monday morning of the month. Geared toward children aged 0-5, these sessions will include play-based activities, a small sharing snack, and a structured language arts circle. Drop-ins are welcome. RSVP if possible. Please contact Shailu Miguez at Shailu.miguez@gov.bc.ca or 250-740-3080 with any questions and to RSVP.

Caregiver Coffee Mornings
2025-09-23 09:00 - 12:00
Caregiver Coffee Mornings Tuesday, September 23rd, 9:00am to 12:00 noon In-Person! We are going old school and want you there! Connect with caregivers and friends, share stories, tips, and laughter. Kids will enjoy some treats and playtime. You can hear what everyone else did during the summer. Goodies for grown-ups too! Whether you’re coming for the conversation or the coffee, it’s going to be great to see each other again and catch up. R.S.V.P. to Sandy at slcase@shaw.ca for address.

Campbell River Foster Caregiver In-person Coffee Meeting
2025-09-23 10:00 - 11:30
Campbell River Foster Caregiver In-person Coffee Meeting Tuesday, September 23rd, 10:00am to 11:30am Tuesday, October 28th, 10:00am to 11:30am Host Tom Robinson (4th Tuesday of the month) Your CR Foster Parent Association welcomes all foster caregivers to attend their casual round the kitchen table gatherings which they host in members’ homes. The group offers confidential discussion and practical tips from experienced caregivers to help you support the child or teen in your care. For information including the address, please watch your inbox, or contact Judy at (text/call) 250-204-1566 or uicoord@fpsss.com.

Ladysmith-Nanaimo MCFD Partnership Meeting
2025-09-23 13:00 - 14:00
Ladysmith-Nanaimo MCFD Partnership Meeting Tuesday, September 23rd, 1:00pm to 2:00pm MCFD Office, #102 – 488 Albert Street or virtual via Teams These gatherings are opportunities for foster caregivers and resource social workers to connect, identify common issues, review policy updates, ask questions and have input for future education. Participants can attend in-person at the MCFD Resource Office board room or join via Teams. Watch your emails for the meeting invite with more details and the virtual link from your Resource Team. If you have a question or item you would like to see on the agenda, please send it to your resource social worker, CFS Coordinators Bonnie (npcoord@fpsss.com) or Sandra (cicoord@fpsss.com).

Coping with Grief and Loss for Caregivers
2025-09-25 08:00 - 17:00
Mondays, September 22nd and September 29th, 6:30pm to 8:30pm Facilitated by Sarah Day Open to Foster Caregivers, Out of Care/Kinship Caregivers, Contracted Agency Caregivers, Social Workers, and Community Professionals Please note that this workshop will be geared towards caregivers. This presentation is geared towards caregivers and the grief and loss they experience. Sarah will touch on topics such as: children transitioning to new homes or returning to family (both when it is a good transition and when it is not what the caregiver was hoping for) how to support a child/youth in your care who loses a parent to the drug crisis, how to support yourself and your family through the loss of a child/youth (in your care) through an overdose or through suicide. Sarah will finish by giving caregivers practical skills they can use to help manage the grief and loss. Register: https://learn.fpsss.com/training/galwsd/2025-09-22/

Safe Babies Meetings
2025-09-25 11:00 - 13:00
Safe Babies Meetings Thursday, September 25th, 11:00am to 1:00pm Thursday, October 23rd, 11:00am to 1:00pm Safe Babies caregivers meet with Angela Hatch to connect, support one another, and discuss information pertaining to the issues and care of vulnerable infants. They cover new protocols for homes and updated information. Guest speakers are often invited.

Peer to Peer Sexual Harm
2025-10-06 09:00 - 12:00
Monday, October 6th, 9:00am to 12:00 noon Presented by Kerri Isham Vancouver Island Caregivers only. Certified Sexual Health Educator Kerri will explore the prevalence of peer to peer sexual harm, why language matters, developmentally appropriate sex play, concerning sexual behaviour, primary causes of peer to peer sexual harm, and more! Kerri Isham is a knowledgeable, collaborative and inclusive educator with over 25 years of experience. She is the founder and lead educator of Power Up Education. Caring Families Society will cover the registration costs for a limited number of caregivers. If registration is full and you would like to be put on a waitlist, please contact Sandra at cicoord@fpsss.com or 250-618-8327. Register at https://learn.fpsss.com/courses/ki-ptpsh/

Permanency Options For Children When Parent Reunification Cannot Take Place
2025-10-07 11:00 - 12:30
Tuesday, October 7th, 11:00am to 12:30pm Open to Foster and Kinship Caregivers Please join Parent Support Services Society advisors Christina and Cassandra to explore and discuss Kinship Care versus Foster Care, Key considerations for permanency, Legal arrangement considerations, Permanency legislation CFCSA, An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit, Metis Children, Youth and Families, The Adoptions Act and The Family Law Act and Government supports for caregivers. After a short presentation, the advisors will respond to questions, comments, and deeper discussion. The presenters have a wealth of knowledge and experience. To ensure caregivers’ needs for information and support are met when considering Kinship and/or Foster Care, participants can submit questions to CFS Coordinator Sandra at cicoord@fpsss.com prior to the workshop or ask them at the workshop as time allows. Register: https://learn.fpsss.com/wp-content/uploads/Permanency-Options-For-Children-When-Parent-Reunification-Cannot-Take-Place-2.pdf

Hope for the Journey: In-Person Evenings
2025-10-09 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday, October 2nd, 9th, and 16th, and 23rd 6:00pm to 8:00pm TBRI® Conference In-Person-Evenings Facilitated by SI Coordinator Dianne Thompson South Island Foster and Out-of Care Caregivers Only Four-Part Training Series Show Hope’s Hope for the Journey Conference (formerly the Empowered to Connect Conference) seeks to encourage and better equip parents and caregivers meeting the everyday needs of children impacted by foster care and/or adoption. With the busy parent and caregiver in mind, the Hope for the Journey Conference is accessible with information being practical, succinct, and consumable in its delivery. The Hope for the Journey Conference series includes four high-level learning modules based on the foundational principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®). Embedded within each learning module will be a “Going Deeper” teaching video, and an encouraging “Practical Perspectives” video. Both videos include the voices of adult adoptees as well as adoptive and foster caregivers. Each week the group will gather to watch a video then review video highlights with our facilator. There will discussion and reflection questions, share comments, insights and debrief. Week 1 – Introduction to TBRI Week 2 – Connecting Principles Week 3 – Empowering Principles Week 4 – Correcting While Connecting Principles All sessions combine evidenced-based theory with every day, practical strategies that caregivers can readily apply in their homes. Contact: SI Coordinator, Dianne Thompson, 778-430-5459. To register for the four Thursday Evening In-Person sessions visit: https://bit.ly/HopeJourneyEvening2025
