EVERY CHILD NEEDS THE SAFETY AND BELONGING OF A FAMILY
In New Brunswick, 730 children and youth* are in the permanent care of the Province. That means they have no legal parents — the Province is their guardian.
Each of these children needs a safe, stable, and loving family where they can heal, belong, and grow.
Some will find permanency through adoption, guardianship, or kinship care.
Others will safely return to their birth families through reunification.
And for many, their path begins with the healing support of a foster family.
No matter how permanency is achieved, every child needs someone who shows up — not just for a while, but for life.
🌿 WHY PERMANENCY MATTERS 🌿
For children who have experienced family loss or separation, permanency means more than a roof over their heads — it means belonging.
When a child grows up without a lasting family connection, they often face uncertainty, frequent moves, and instability.
A permanent family provides safety, consistency, and love — the foundation for healing and hope.
Permanency can take many forms, but it always means one thing:
A family — however it’s defined — that lasts.
🛣️ PATHWAYS TO PERMANENCY 🛣️
There are many ways to help a child in care find permanency.
Each one offers children stability, connection, and the chance to grow within a supportive family environment.
Adoption: When a child or youth becomes a permanent, legal member of a family — offering stability, security, and lifelong support.
Learn about adoption →Foster Care: When a child or youth is placed with a foster parent to provide safe, nurturing care while their long-term plan is determined.
Learn about foster care →Kinship Care: When a child or youth is placed with a relative or close family friend who becomes a kinship caregiver, keeping family and cultural connections strong.
Learn about kinship care →Guardianship: When a person is appointed as guardian under a guardianship agreement or order, giving the child or youth legal protection and lasting security.
Reunification / Return to Family: When a child or youth safely returns to their birth family with the supports they need to succeed and thrive..
🚪 WHEN PERMANENCY ISN'T FOUND🚪
When a young person turns 19 and leaves care without a permanent family, they age out of the system. That can mean:
No home to go to for the holidays.
No one to call for advice about a first job, first apartment, or big decisions.
No one to celebrate with on good days — or turn to on hard ones.
While about 40% of young adults aged 20–29 in Canada still live at home, 0% of youth who age out have that option. Without family support, these youth face higher risks of not finishing school, early pregnancy, homelessness, and poverty.
Every young person needs — and deserves — better.
Every young person needs belonging that lasts.
Together, we can make sure every child — and every family — has the support they need to heal, belong, and thrive.
