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Caregiver Recording Information System
Caregiver Recording Information System  
august, 1998 
volume 42, number 3
oacas journal

C.R.I.S.
CAREGIVER RECORDING INFORMATION SYSTEM:
A SOFTWARE REVIEW
It is common in the child welfare field that many workers and foster parents have talents that sometimes go unnoticed.  In what little time she has left over from taking care of kids, Sharyn Lewis, a foster parent with the Toronto Catholic Children's Aid Society, has become a software developer. 

The package she has developed is called CRIS---Caregiver Recording Information System.  It wouldn't be useful in our business if it didn't have an acronym.  Ms. Lewis has designed this to be a handy, easy to use package where a foster parent can keep track of any information related to their foster child.  To the best of this reviewer's knowledge, there is nothing similar in the marketplace. 

Because it has been designed by a foster parent, it has room to collect any piece of information that a parent would require. The various sections include information on: 

  • child
  • education
  • medical, personal and physical--hair colour, eye colour, weight food preferences etc.
  • a section for family history
  • a contact list
Within the child information screen are sections on daily logs, serious occurrences and expenses. The program is password protected and has been programmed in such a way that once a document has been saved, it cannot be changed although you are able to include additions. 

Appointments can be logged in the various sections (i.e.health or education) enabling the caregiver to better track the variety of events in the child's life. 

Given the fact that so many of our foster parents care for more than one child, the system is set up for multiple entries.  There are also sections where the caregiver can record the training courses taken as well as listing relief staff information. 

All in all, it appears to be a very user-friendly package which will help keep any one caring for children organized and enable them to information quickly and easily. 

In order to run the program, your computer needs Windows '95.  The software is Year 2000 compliant.  Hard copies of any section can be produced using a printer. 

Ms. Lewis developed this package as an entrepreneur and is selling the package.  For information on the software, please contact her directly at 309-364 The East Mall, Toronto,Ontario, M9B 6C5; 416-620-0303; and sharyn@ica.net 

Reviewed by Jim Howes, Coordinator, Education Services, OACAS.  Jim is a former Executive Director of Toronto Group Homes Inc. and has taught foster parents through George Brown College and is a former foster parent. 

 

 

Beck Technology Corporation
Beck Technology CorporationãCopyright 1998.
All rights reserved.
Mississauga, Canada