Any Foster Parents from Canada sailing Carnival?

[GrUvGrL]

My husband and I are in the process of becoming foster parents. Since we already have a cruise booked in August, with our kids, we have decided we would not start the process and required training till after we come back.

 

We do however like to travel, and I have no idea what the policy on taking Foster children out of Canada is (required paperwork, is this even an option?). Our family trips are generally to Disney or cruise... and I don't think I would have the heart to say to a child... "well, you enjoy your time here while we are having fun at Disney/Cruise"

 

I did ask the worker and her answer was "well, not sure, it shouldn't be a problem" which translated probably means... there maybe a problem, yet she wasn't able to tell me what I would need... I would imagine, permission from a court and maybe letters from natural parents? Or it may just not be allowed.

 

Just a curious question. Our worker knows we are not ready to take in any children until after we return, and the possibility of having to travel with a foster child is not insight for another year.

 

Thanks for any insight.

[KPGirl]

Foster parents that I work with often take their kids with them, you just need a letter from the agency and the child's passport.

[gusandgidgetsmom]

I don't know about Canada, but our judge has to approve it in the states. Thank you for being a Foster parent you will be making a big difference in a child's life. I have been a GAL/CASA for 7 years and a foster parent can make a big differnce if they treat that child as their own rather than a pay check! Bless you.

[GrUvGrL]

I don't know about Canada, but our judge has to approve it in the states. Thank you for being a Foster parent you will be making a big difference in a child's life. I have been a GAL/CASA for 7 years and a foster parent can make a big differnce if they treat that child as their own rather than a pay check! Bless you.

 

Thank you for your kind words! Definately not treating this as a pay check. Hubby and I could do this without the pay check and to be honest hoping to bank half of what they give us to start a college fund for a child.

 

Sadly, the biggest need right now are infants, infants are generally back to their natural parents within the year and my hope is that when we are ready to accept a teen we take them out of "the system" meaning let them carry on with schooling without having to be in debt for student loans.

 

Having said that, I would very much like to bring any foster child we have in our care with us on vacation. I just worry with infants and the passport need, that the natural parents may not be willing to sign for a passport :( I doubt that most of the children in the system have passports right off the bat.

 

I sure hope there is a way with the courts to allow us travel with these children.

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

Thank you for your kind words! Definately not treating this as a pay check. Hubby and I could do this without the pay check and to be honest hoping to bank half of what they give us to start a college fund for a child.

 

Sadly, the biggest need right now are infants, infants are generally back to their natural parents within the year and my hope is that when we are ready to accept a teen we take them out of "the system" meaning let them carry on with schooling without having to be in debt for student loans.

 

Having said that, I would very much like to bring any foster child we have in our care with us on vacation. I just worry with infants and the passport need, that the natural parents may not be willing to sign for a passport :( I doubt that most of the children in the system have passports right off the bat.

 

I sure hope there is a way with the courts to allow us travel with these children.

 

It's my understanding of "the system" that once a child is under the care of CAS, CAS is the one who would provide the permission for the child (with of course the permission of the courts).

[marvholly]

I do NOT know the rules & regulations for Canada. In the US it is VERY tough to take a foster child out of the local court's jurisdiction.

 

However, I have a friend from Vancouver on another board who did a 2 week EU trip w/a foster child. It can be done. How hard? No clue.

[GrUvGrL]

Thank you for your advise! I guess we will cross that bridge when we get there and see. You guys have given me some hopeful insight.

[KPGirl]

if a child is in care the parents do not have to give permission for a passport, it's up to the CAS whether or not the child can travel not the courts.

[AandBmom]

I am a child protection worker in Ontario and I work with the children in foster care. If the child is a Crown Ward (meaning parents rights are completely taken away and the Crown is the legal guardian), then foster parents can travel anywhere with the child as long as they have a passport and travel letter from the local Children's Aid Society giving them permission (which we have no problem giving). If the child is in care as a Society Ward or is on a Temporary Care Agreement signed by the parents, then the rules are a little different. The foster child can sometimes still travel but there are extra steps to be taken around getting permission. One of my foster homes takes a cruise every year and they always bring their foster children. Some of my other homes take occasional vacations with just their bio children to rejuvenate and have some relief. It all depends on the situation - either way of doing it can be a good choice. Thanks for becoming foster parents, we need you!

[cruiserNC]

I don't know about Canada but we took our foster son last year and all Carnival wanted to see was permission from the court/DSS and his birth certificate. We had an awesome bonding vacation and he is now our son. Touch base with Carnival and get their requirements in writing. Have a wonder time.

[lds26]

I am a foster parent from Saskatchewan so I dont know the rules for any other provinces. I have taken my foster children on 2 cruises so far. What I required was to get their passport, so that entailed the Social Worker applying for my foster child's birth certificate, then she gave them to me and I was responsible for getting thier pictures taken, then I did the online application for passport then handed it to their social workers. She took it from there. For us the passport was mailed to the social worker and she brought it to us.

For the trip we required that she write a letter for us allowing us to take ther kids out of the country. In that letter it contained my name, the kids name, the places we were going (basically entire itinerary), dates we were going and dates we were coming back and her contact information.

We were lucky both times our social worker helped us with the cruise costs for the child. We agreed to pay for food, hotel, transportation but she assisted us with flights and cruise cost.

I loved giving the kids the opportunity to see other places and experience other things that they may never have had they been with thier natural parents.

I might add that my foster kids are medically challenged and I dont know what length or quality of life they may have in the future so I want to give them this opportunity now.

[GrUvGrL]

I am a child protection worker in Ontario and I work with the children in foster care. If the child is a Crown Ward (meaning parents rights are completely taken away and the Crown is the legal guardian), then foster parents can travel anywhere with the child as long as they have a passport and travel letter from the local Children's Aid Society giving them permission (which we have no problem giving). If the child is in care as a Society Ward or is on a Temporary Care Agreement signed by the parents, then the rules are a little different. The foster child can sometimes still travel but there are extra steps to be taken around getting permission. One of my foster homes takes a cruise every year and they always bring their foster children. Some of my other homes take occasional vacations with just their bio children to rejuvenate and have some relief. It all depends on the situation - either way of doing it can be a good choice. Thanks for becoming foster parents, we need you!

 

Thank you so much for your response!

 

How long would you figure I need to start getting the paperwork? We usually take vacation in August, so if we were planning for August next year... when do you think we should start really worrying about passports and letters?

[GrUvGrL]

I am a foster parent from Saskatchewan so I dont know the rules for any other provinces. I have taken my foster children on 2 cruises so far. What I required was to get their passport, so that entailed the Social Worker applying for my foster child's birth certificate, then she gave them to me and I was responsible for getting thier pictures taken, then I did the online application for passport then handed it to their social workers. She took it from there. For us the passport was mailed to the social worker and she brought it to us.

For the trip we required that she write a letter for us allowing us to take ther kids out of the country. In that letter it contained my name, the kids name, the places we were going (basically entire itinerary), dates we were going and dates we were coming back and her contact information.

We were lucky both times our social worker helped us with the cruise costs for the child. We agreed to pay for food, hotel, transportation but she assisted us with flights and cruise cost.

I loved giving the kids the opportunity to see other places and experience other things that they may never have had they been with thier natural parents.

I might add that my foster kids are medically challenged and I dont know what length or quality of life they may have in the future so I want to give them this opportunity now.

 

I truly got a bit emotional and goosebumpy reading your post! I think it's wonderful of you!

 

I agree whole heartedly! I would love to give as many children as I can the opportunity to travel and see things that they would/may not otherwise have the opportunity to do/see. I don't mind paying out of pocket for it, as I explained to our kids when we sprung this on them the first time many many months ago... our foster child will be seen as an addition to our family and treated as such... not a visitor. As lucky as we are... I don't think our kids would have had it any other way!

 

I can't wait for the opportunity!

[AandBmom]

Thank you so much for your response!

 

How long would you figure I need to start getting the paperwork? We usually take vacation in August, so if we were planning for August next year... when do you think we should start really worrying about passports and letters?

 

Well you can usually get a passport within a few weeks, but why leave it to last minute. It is quite a process to get a passport for a child in care so I'd start talking to the worker sooner rather than later just to have the passport on hand (never hurts for random trips that may come up). The travel letter process can be done quick. I appreciate it when my foster parents give me as much notice as possible. They usually send me an email asking me for the letter, stating the dates they are away and where all they are traveling. I then prep the letter and have it mailed out within a few days or a week if I'm really busy.

 

Actually here's the usual process, foster parents call me as soon as they're thinking of going somewhere and they check in to make sure I don't have any concerns with the plan, then they go ahead and book the trip with my go ahead. Then they make sure they have up to date passports and if they don't they ask me to get passports done. Closer to the trip date they ask me for the travel letter by email as noted above. As someone else mentioned, occasionally we can contribute a little towards the cost but this varies greatly from one agency to another. Sometimes I can justify the trip as an educational experience and get some funding. I hope that helps. Feel free to send other questions.

[Not_Done_Living]

Some awesome info here!