What does it mean to be a family? 

These days, thereB次元官网网址檚 about as many definitions for the word B次元官网网址渇amilyB次元官网网址� as there are families. But to Ashley Kendrick, it all boils down to one thing. 

B次元官网网址淔amily means those people that we can be ourselves around,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e the people that we can be honest and open with, and if we create an atmosphere of that, thereB次元官网网址檚 a safety in being able to be yourself and be taken care of. When we feel safe and when our needs our met, thatB次元官网网址檚 when we can hit our full potential.B次元官网网址� 

Kendrick, however, may not have had all of that in mind when she first moved to Campbell River eight years ago. At the time, she had been living in Ontario and her partner had just gotten a job in Campbell River. After living long distance for a year or so, she followed him out to the coast and got settled in. Kendrick works as a child and youth counsellor with Laichwiltach Family Life Society, putting her psychology degree to use. 

B次元官网网址淚 love working with people, but I didnB次元官网网址檛 know what that would look like,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 knew that psychology studies people. Before I worked here in town I worked at a rehabilitation facility on a one-year program for young women who were overcoming any kind of addiction B次元官网网址� anything that was preventing them from living a life that felt free to them. I worked there with women who were between 18 and 30 and I loved that. 

B次元官网网址淲hen I came here I was just looking for any job that was pouring back into people. I applied for a few and Audrey (Wilson) gave me a call back,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 hadnB次元官网网址檛 really worked with young kids, and those that I have were teenaged girls. B次元官网网址淭hen for whatever reason my whole first case load was like eight-year-old boys,B次元官网网址� she laughed. B次元官网网址淲ell okay, weB次元官网网址檒l shift it up.B次元官网网址� 

Through that experience, Kendrick and her husband eventually got involved in the foster care system. B次元官网网址淎 lot of the kids that I worked with were in care,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淢y colleagues were working with their parents, and there just seemed to be a kind of discord between the parents and the foster parents. I said to my husband that we could create a safe home environment for the kids, and make the parents feel respected and welcome. That was our goal getting into it. 

B次元官网网址淥ur first placement would probably agree with us. We were told that the dad was really hard to work with, and theyB次元官网网址檇 actually switched placements because it was so difficult,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e created a relationship that we still have to this day.B次元官网网址� 

Kendrick said that their interest was not in just helping the kids, but in helping the parents learn the skills they need to eventually get to reunification. 

B次元官网网址淭he goal for that child is to land with their parents and so you want to give their parents a safe place to grow and heal,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he whole aspect of foster care is traumatic, but we can find good in it. I often will tell the kids if a parent can just focus on what they need to do and I can focus on taking care of you right now then your mom or dad can heal so much quicker because now they have less things to focus on.B次元官网网址� 

While the goal is reunification, Kendrick admits that sometimes that doesnB次元官网网址檛 work. Kendrick and her husband are adoptive parents, having welcomed their son into their lives four years ago. 

B次元官网网址淲e didnB次元官网网址檛 seek out adoption,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淗e was actually friends with one of our first foster boys, and was a foster child in one of my coworkersB次元官网网址� homes B次元官网网址� we invited him over a few times, and there was one time when he was over and he said B次元官网网址榠tB次元官网网址檚 really sad, I just found out IB次元官网网址檓 never gonna live with my mom and dad again.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淪o he just says this point blank, and then keeps playing. Later on, he came to us and said B次元官网网址榠t would be really nice to live here. 

B次元官网网址淢y husband and I looked at each other and said B次元官网网址榶eah, weB次元官网网址檙e probably going to talk about this later.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� 

After a long process, the adoption was finalized. He got to keep living in Campbell River, and they still keep an open policy with their sonB次元官网网址檚 birth family. 

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to see his nana tonight,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e still trying to promote that family growth, and maybe are just taking the B次元官网网址榬aising a childB次元官网网址� piece out of it. TheyB次元官网网址檙e still mom, theyB次元官网网址檙e still dad, but weB次元官网网址檝e just kind of shifted it so theyB次元官网网址檙e not doing the raising of a child, and are still part of their life.B次元官网网址� 

To Kendrick, it truly does take a village to raise a child. However, B次元官网网址測ou want it to be a really healthy village.B次元官网网址� 

B次元官网网址淢aybe a family canB次元官网网址檛 take care of a kid, but that doesnB次元官网网址檛 negate how much they love them.B次元官网网址�