Foster Caregiver - Independent Contractor
Edmonton, Alberta
Full-Time
About the Position
CarePros is looking for a family to provide dedicated and experienced live-in care with compassion and patience for two children, ages 5 and 3. Both children are non-verbal and are on the autism spectrum. This is a hands-on family-based caregiving role (not a therapy position). We are seeking an Edmonton family who can provide loving, attentive, and highly consistent full-time care to become a steady, trusted presence in the children's daily lives.
About the Children
- Two siblings: a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old.
- Both children are non-verbal and have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Neither child is potty trained; full-time toileting/diapering support is required for both.
- Both children require hands-on support with feeding; they are not independent eaters.
- Both require hands-on support with hygiene routines (bathing, grooming, and dressing).
- Both require active support with social interactions and engagement, because of their communication differences.
- Both children are very high energy and can be a real handful; being comfortable with busy, physically demanding days is essential to this role.
- Attempts to run off/run away are frequent, including outdoors or in unfamiliar spaces. Both children require constant, active supervision.
- Communication is primarily non-verbal. Patience, close observation, and creative connection are more important than conversations.
Your Typical Day
As their caregiver, you will fully manage the course of the day for both children together. This includes: morning routine (waking up, getting dressed, feeding, toileting/diapering), hands-on supervision and support through play/meals/activities, naps/downtime for the 3-year-old, managing transitions between activities (often the hardest moments for these kids), hygiene/bathing routines, and bedtime routine. Toileting, hygiene, and feeding support are needed throughout the day for both children, not only at scheduled times. Both children require active support with engaging and interacting with others instead of being left to keep themselves busy. A huge part of this position is reading non-verbal cues (body language, sounds/noises, and behavior changes) to anticipate their needs or frustration before it escalates, and responding calmly/consistently instead of being reactive.
Supervision and Safety
This role requires a significantly higher level of supervision than typical childcare. Both children need constant eyes-on attention, especially outdoors, in parking lots, near water, and in unfamiliar spaces. Attempts to run off are frequent (not occasional), so this is a central, ongoing responsibility rather than a rare occurrence. Managing two high-energy children with these needs at the same time, not one child after the other, is a core challenge of this role. As their caregiver, you will stay calm, alert, and effective even if one child runs off while the other is mid-meltdown.
We are Looking For
- Experience caring for children with autism or other developmental disabilities.
- Comfortable and experienced with providing full toileting, hygiene, and feeding support for young children.
- Skilled at actively facilitating and encouraging social interaction and engagement with non-verbal children.
- Confident and calm while managing high-energy children with frequent run away attempts; must be physically able to keep pace with both children and react quickly.
- Patient, nurturing, low-reactivity, and unwavering under pressure.
- Comfortable building connection through consistent routine, physical play, and sensory activities instead of verbal interaction.
- Comfortable and reliable living in your family home full-time.
- Strong, collaborative communication with CarePros on routines, care approaches, and any therapies or providers already in place.
- Open to additional training specific to the children's needs.
Household and Family
As this is a live-in placement, the caregiver's household situation must also be considered. Ideally, one adult in the household is full-time, stay-at-home dedicated to this caregiver role, with no other children living in the home. We may consider a caregiving couple who have children of their own, only if they can clearly demonstrate how they can fully, safely manage their own kids' needs alongside consistent, attentive care for these two children.
Compliance Regulated Requirements
- Must have an unshared bedroom (with a legal window) for the children to call their own.
- Must be 21 years of age or older and financially stable.
- You may not provide any forms of care for other social services agencies.
- Maintain proactive measures to obtain a foster home license from Government of Alberta, which includes:
- Completing HAR/SAFE assessment (minimum 3 interviews each lasting 2-4 hours).
- 1-hour check in with HAR Assessor after the above is complete.
- Completing PRIDE Pre-Service training (10 online sessions lasting total 35 hours and 2 virtual check ins). PRIDE is self-paced and must be completed within 12 weeks.
- Providing 3 positive references.
- Providing and passing medical clearance (physical and mental health) from your Family physician.
- Must be a Canadian permanent resident (legally authorized to work in Canada).
- Must own a 4-door vehicle.
- Must provide the following documentation:
- Active Alberta Class 5 driver's license.
- Clean Alberta 3-year driver's abstract (you do not need to have driven in Alberta for 3 years).
- Active Standard/Intermediate First Aid with CPR Level C + AED (in person or blended course from a Canadian provider).
- Alberta automotive insurance full policy with $2 million liability coverage.
- Alberta residential or tenant insurance full policy with $1 million liability coverage.
- Commercial General Liability (CGL) $2 million liability insurance coverage.
- Everyone age 18 years or older living in the home must provide:
- Clear Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Check obtained from Police services within the last 4 months.
- Clear Intervention Record Check obtained from Children Services within the last 4 months.
CarePros Offers You
- Non-taxable income in this Independent Contractor role (you are not an employee).
- 4 days per month to take time for yourself (Respite days).
- CarePros may be able to provide additional staffing support to help balance responsibilities where needed.
- Innovative technology to assist the daily care routines.
- Cornell University Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) training certification.
- Service Excellence training.
- The opportunity to shape the lives of these young children, as they impact you, your heart, your family forever.
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