'It takes a village': Non-profit urges people across Lower Mainland to sign up as youth caregivers

A Vancouver non-profit organization that pairs youth with family caregivers is urging people across the Lower Mainland to open up their homes if they have room to spare.

The program director at PLEA Community Services says that while a growing number of youth are being referred to the organization for foster care placements, the recruitment of caregivers has slowed down significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re wanting to keep up with the demand and continue to provide as much support to as many kids as we can across the Lower Mainland,” Tina Tomyk told CTV News on Monday.

She says PLEA is currently providing support to 38 young people across the Lower Mainland, through a variety of short and long-term programs that all have long waitlists.

U-Turn, for example, is a program designed for youth aged nine to 18 who are facing “significant behavioural and developmental challenges” and have had “limited success” in other residential settings, according to PLEA’s website. Another service called Turnaround is described as a 90-day youth justice support program that operates in family care settings.

Since youth who are referred to PLEA often have often experienced trauma and other challenges, including multiple foster care placements, Tomyk says it’s important for caregivers to be compassionate and patient.

“These kids really need someone who's going to see them for who they are, right? To see them for their strengths, for who they can become, and really kind of help them grow that light a little bit.” Tomyk said. “(Caregivers) don’t have to have this extensive history of working with kids, we provide that training. If they have that love, that passion…we can work with that.”

WHAT YOUTH CAREGIVERS CAN EXPECT

People who want to become a youth caregiver will have to undergo PLEA’s assessment process, Tomyk says, which includes a medical report and criminal record clearance.

Depending on the amount of available beds, she says youth caregivers are paid between $4,800 to $10,000 per month.

“That can be quite competitive, especially if you have a single caregiver do it, or you have a partnership—where someone’s working out of the home and another person is actually staying home and providing care,” Tomyk explains.

PLEA works with caregivers throughout their role, providing support through service coordinators, youth workers, learning instructors and clinical counsellors to name a few. The organization also offers extensive educational experience and training, and connects different caregivers with each other in an effort to cultivate community.

“It takes a village to raise these kids, and that’s what we have available to any caregiver that’s coming on board with us. We do this together, and we do it as a team,” said Tomyk.

Recruitment may have slowed down, but Tomyk says that several of the caregivers who are currently working with PLEA have been helping youth in need for more than a decade.

She acknowledges that the experience of caregiving can be daunting, but is encouraging people to call PLEA or go online to learn more about how to get involved and help youth in need.

“Just about anyone can take on this role…and the opportunity that they have to open up their home can make a difference in the life of a young person,” said Tomyk. “We don't want kids to miss out on opportunities to be a part of a family.”

The latest data by the Ministry of Childcare and Family Development shows 613 youth based in Vancouver and Richmond were in the government’s care as of March 31, 2022.

Just over 72 per cent of those kids were in care by a court order for protection over different types of neglect, according to the ministry.