The Foster Care Application Process in the Northwest Territories

Submitting a foster care application in the Northwest Territories is not a single form you fill out and wait on. It is a multi-stage process that unfolds over six to twelve months, with several things happening in parallel. Understanding what comes at each stage — and why — makes the whole process considerably less daunting.

Before You Apply

The NWT foster care application formally begins at the intake stage, but experienced applicants do two things before submitting a single form.

First, they call the Foster Family Coalition of the NWT at 1-866-233-0136. The FFCNWT is an independent organization — not an HSS body — that can give you an honest picture of what the process looks like in your specific region, connect you with current foster parents, and help you decide whether you are ready to proceed.

Second, they walk through their home with a critical eye. NWT safety standards require working smoke detectors, egress windows in every sleeping room, properly vented heating systems, and adequate sleeping space per child. Knowing you meet those standards before a social worker visits saves time and avoids the discouragement of being asked to make changes you were not expecting.

Stage 1: Inquiry and Intake

You contact your regional social services office. The office for your area depends on where you live:

• Yellowknife — Yellowknife Social Services, (867) 767-9122
• Inuvik and Beaufort-Delta — Beaufort-Delta Social Services, (867) 678-8001 ext 4
• Fort Simpson and Dehcho region — Dehcho Social Services, (867) 695-2293
• Behchokǫ̀ and Tłı̨chǫ communities — Tłı̨chǫ Social Services, (867) 392-3005
• Norman Wells and Sahtu region — Sahtu Regional Health Office, (867) 587-3650

A worker will schedule an initial information session. This is not an assessment — it is an orientation. They explain the process, describe the kinds of placements available, and give you the application package to complete at home.

Stage 2: Submitting the Application Package

The application package contains several components that must be completed before the formal home study can begin.

The foster home application form. This covers your household composition, employment, living situation, and the type of fostering arrangement you are interested in — emergency care, short-term, long-term, kinship, or respite.

Consents for record checks. Every adult aged 18 or older in your home must sign authorizations for an RCMP Vulnerable Sector Check and an HSS Child Protection Records Check. The Vulnerable Sector Check is more comprehensive than a standard criminal record check and includes a search for pardoned sex offences. Processing can take several weeks.

Medical examination reports. Each applicant must submit a physician's report confirming physical and mental fitness to care for children. HSS provides the specific form your doctor needs to complete.

References. Three non-family references who can speak to your character and parenting capacity. These are not submitted as part of the initial package — they are contacted directly by the social worker during the home study stage.

Stage 3: The Home Study

The SAFE home study is the most intensive phase of the application. It involves multiple in-home visits and structured interviews with every member of your household.

The social worker covers a wide range of topics. Personal and family history, including how you were raised and how that shapes your approach to discipline and emotional support. Your understanding of trauma and its impact on children who have experienced neglect, abuse, or family separation. Your knowledge of the residential school system and its ongoing effects in NWT communities. Your practical plan for supporting an Indigenous child's cultural identity — language, land-based learning, connection to Elders.

The physical home is also formally assessed during the home study. The social worker walks through each room, measures sleeping spaces, inspects smoke detectors and egress windows, reviews heating systems, and evaluates your emergency preparedness. In many NWT communities, this includes looking at your water supply system and waste handling setup — relevant where trucked water and holding tanks are the norm.

The home study runs concurrently with pre-service training, so you are not waiting for one to finish before the other begins.

Stage 4: Pre-Service Training

The NWT uses the P.R.I.D.E. curriculum — a structured training program delivered either in person (primarily in Yellowknife) or via the FFCNWT's Caregiver Classroom platform for remote applicants. In fly-in communities, video-conference delivery is standard.

Training covers child development and developmental delays, trauma-informed care, supporting a child's connections to their biological family, and working professionally as part of a child welfare team. First Aid and CPR certification must be completed and current before approval is granted.

Additional modules from the Caregiver Classroom are strongly recommended during this phase — particularly FASD support strategies, suicide prevention (LivingWorks START), and cultural safety.

Stage 5: Administrative Review and Approval Decision

When the home study is complete, the social worker prepares a written report recommending for or against approval. The report is reviewed by a regional supervisor or manager, who makes the formal decision.

If approved, you sign three agreements:

• Foster Home Agreement — sets out the terms of the caregiving relationship and your responsibilities
• Oath of Confidentiality — governing how you handle information about children in your care
• Caregiver Discipline Agreement — confirming your commitment to positive discipline approaches

Your foster home licence is issued following signature of these agreements. It is valid for one year and subject to annual renewal.

Common Delays and How to Avoid Them

The most frequent source of delays is waiting on RCMP Vulnerable Sector Checks. Submit the authorization as early as possible — ideally within days of your intake session, not weeks.

The second most common source of delay is incomplete medical documentation. Confirm with your physician which specific HSS form they need and allow enough time for the report to be completed and submitted before your home study visits begin.

In smaller communities where the social worker manages multiple roles, scheduling home study visits can be slow. Stay in regular contact, be flexible about scheduling, and reach out to the FFCNWT if you feel the process has stalled without explanation.

If you want a complete picture of what the application looks like from the inside — what social workers are actually assessing at each stage, which documentation surprises catch first-time applicants, and how to navigate the process in a remote community — the Northwest Territories Foster Care Guide covers all of it in NWT-specific detail.

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