Exploring Theme: "Reducing # of children-in-care"

NationTalk: The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia are providing $9.6 million to build 9 new homes and six beds in in Sik-e-Dakh Village for Indigenous women and children leaving violence, children in care, and young adults transitioning out of care. The GCFSS Longhouse is a 15-unit, wood-frame longhouse that is owned...

NationTalk: VICTORIA – Simpcw First Nation is partnering with the Province on a two-year project focused on keeping families together through connections to their culture, language, families and traditional decision-making for members who live away from home. “Today is a very proud day for Simpcw as we are now able to fulfil a commitment our...

VICTORIA – Young people from government care have more support to make stronger transitions into adulthood because of $600-a-month rent supplements. Beginning this month, 797 young adults from government care began receiving monthly support through the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s new Rent Supplement Program. “We know that youth and young adults from care...

The First Nations Children and Youth in Care Protocol commits the Province and First Nations to work together on specific issues and initiatives, seeking to improve the educational outcomes and well-being of Indigenous children and youth in care, and former youth in care through legislative, policy and practice reform and family services. Work will include...

The Globe and Mail: British Columbia will no longer ask hospitals to alert child-welfare authorities if they believe newborns could be at risk of harm due to their parents’ backgrounds, a practice that resulted in more than half of such notifications being issued for Indigenous mothers. The B.C. government on Monday said it would end...

Signing of a Letter of Understanding (LOU) to support the development of a framework and process for Cowichan Tribes to exercise their jurisdiction over child and family services for their members. This LOU between Canada, British Columbia and the Cowichan Tribes provides a framework that charts the path forward in recognizing and implementing Cowichan jurisdiction...

Implementing the recommendations from Grand Chief Ed John’s report, Indigenous Resilience, Connectedness and Reunification – From Root Causes to Root Solutions, and provide better supports so Indigenous children grow up in their communities and not in care.  http://cwrp.ca/sites/default/files/publications/en/final-report-of-grand-chief-ed-john-re-indig-child-welfare-in-bc-november-2016.pdf...

Minister of Indigenous Services, announced funding to support the Huu-ay-aht First Nations Social Services Project on child and family services ($4.2M/yr for 5 years; BC Govt $400K). The Province of British Columbia is also providing financial and other support to this initiative. Federal funding will go towards community initiatives such as expanding current pregnancy support...

Secwépemc Chiefs signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the provincial and federal governments on jurisdiction for child and family services. This MOU provides a framework that charts the path forward in recognizing and implementing Secwépemc jurisdiction. “Keeping children and families together, surrounded by their culture and community, is critical for the well-being and...

The 90,000-strong Métis community in British Columbia is one step closer to taking over child welfare authority for their children and families, with the historic signing of an MNBC and British Columbia Joint Commitment between the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) and the Province setting the goal of transferring authority to MBNC by 2021. The...

Formal response to Emergency Meeting in Child and Family Services in Ottawa: The Reconciliation Charter is a high-level political commitment to achieve child-welfare reform focused on addressing current policy and legislative frameworks related to First Nations children and families. It is also focused on improving relations, identifying potential governance models for First Nations communities and...

Ministry of Children and Family Development delegates child-protection authority for Métis families in the Kamloops area to Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Family and Community Services. We’re working collaboratively and respectfully with Indigenous and Métis agencies and communities to ensure they have the right tools, funding and support to make a difference for the children and families...

Reconciliation Charter: tripartite agreement between Governments of Canada and BC and First Nations Leadership Council to reduce the number of First Nations children in care, to keep families together and support First Nations youth to successfully transition out of care....