Programs

All persons wishing to become certified foster parents for Variety Children & Family Services must do the following:

1. Attend an Orientation and Register with Licensing Office at 18 PENINSULA ROAD,GODERICH, FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
2. Registration is Le 100.00 and it is paid by obtaining a bank deposit slip and paid at Sierra Leone Commercial bank with account # 212662110192 or at Rokel Commercial Bank with account # 02-131103117
3. Please note that the Registration fee to be a certified  foster parent is none refundable once the certification process starts. “Do not leave the office without demanding for your payment receipt” 
4. On verification of payment by submitting bank receipt to finance officer , a receipt is issued to be attached to the registration form which substantiates the registration payment.
   On receiving the payment receipt from finance office, the licensing office will issue a police clearance /Finger print form, health screening forms and medical tests which include TB test and HIV. NOTE: Police clearance is done at the CID headquarters and the health screening is done at the government Connaught Hospital . The finger print request form must be signed and stamped by the certification officer and the Police Clearance certificate must be addressed to
   The CEO, Variety Children & Family Services, 18 PENINSULA ROAD,GODERICH, FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE Note: Police clearances MUST be obtained on everyone at the age of 18 or over residing in the home or at the residence – this includes natural children that turn 18 after certification
   For more question or enquiries please contact License Officer ___________________ or check with the administrative assistant
5. On successful completion of the police clearance and health screening, the certificates are submitted to Licensing office and an appointment and a referral is made to the program counselor for parenting class certification.
6. Request for a family photo is made by licensing office at this time. Note: The family photo should comprise of all residents of the home which is about to be certified and where the prospective foster child will be staying.
7. On completion of the parenting class with the program counselor, the Licensing office will then make an appointment with the prospective parent for Home Inspection to certify that all licensing standards of the home are met. ( See Foster Parents Home Inspection Report )
8. When all these forms are turned in to Licensing office, Registration form, police clearance, medical clearance, parenting class certification by the counselor, family photo and the home inspection is successful without any deficiency, the prospective parent can now report to the office to complete all remaining certification paper work.( See Foster Parents Check off List)

With such an absolute success of the certified foster care program, the certified foster parents who now number up to three hundred families, came together in 2016 to form a foster Parents Association ( The first of its kind in Sierra Leone) known as VARIETY FOSTER PARENTS ASSOCIATION.(VFPA) The selfless commitment of this association provides the basic necessities of life to all the orphans and vulnerable children in their care which include, food, shelter, clothing, education, safe environment and tender loving care.

First Executive President of Variety Foster Parents
Association and the first certified foster Parent: 2016 – 2018

With such a success of the Foster Care program and the unwavering compassion by many families to come on board, the executive changed hands in 2018 with more foster parents with absolute determination to make the lives of these vulnerable children better and meaningful.

Current Executive President of VFPA 2018 – Present.
Mrs Sylvia Coker is a pioneer and an Innovator with lots of ideas to make the Association better

Executive Vice President -2018 – Present.
Complimenting Governments efforts to care for orphans and vulnerable children.

Variety Foster Parents Association.

The core concept of Variety Children and Family services is education which is the key to breaking the circle of poverty in Sierra Leone and the world. Therefore we search for better solutions in educating the children placed in our care. Variety Children emphasizes on immediate and appropriate educational placement to ensure that the children have the advantage of being in the school setting best suited for their needs. We work in colaboaration with school authorities, program specialists, teachers, counselors and administrators to ensure that each child’s educational needs are met. Where indicated or recommended by professional evaluations, the agency will utilize all its resources to meet the educational needs of that child. Foster parents are encouraged to utilize all the resources available for the success of their foster children.

Our educational program includes the following:

• Early years learning and development sessions for children aged 3-5 years
• Placement of all children in our care in main stream community schools.
• Extra tuition provided through home schooling for children in primary schools.
• Extra tuition /coaching during the holidays for children returning from Boarding schools to the children’s home.
• Basic life skill classes for all children aged 11 + years in our care especially those children who are nearing adulthood

On admitting a child in Variety Children’s program, The educational team which comprises of the Home school Tutor, the Resident social worker and the administrator or her assistant will meet to determine the academic level of that child. This educational team meeting is branded as the I E P meeting. (Individual Educational Plan). The Home school tutor prepares all the lesson plans and syllabus and he/she is assisted by the Resident Social Worker.. With the free quality education recently instituted by the government as a precursor to Human capital Development and with the determined support by compassionate mothers of the world, fifteen of the children at the children’s home were enrolled in community schools. ( See photo below.)
Children who cannot be accepted in foster homes and those who failed foster care due to behavior or other problems are sent to Boarding schools in rural towns with no modern attraction but to focus on school. Variety Children are sent to Educaid elementary and secondary Boarding schools in Port Loko, Saint Josephs Secondary school for girls in Moyamba, Providence secondary Boarding school in Freetown.