Children and Family Development
A group of independent advisors will work with government to develop a multi-year plan to strengthen B.C.’s child welfare system, starting with more staff, more training and greater transparency and accountability in ministry decision-making and other areas.
The advisory council will provide independent, impartial input and advice and ensure that consultation with stakeholder groups, especially First Nations and Aboriginal community leaders, grounds the plan.
The council was specifically designed to allow representation from business leaders, Aboriginal leaders, non-governmental organizations in the social sector, the BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) and the Office of the Representative of Children and Youth (RCY). The council members are:
- Giselle Commissiong, partner, advisory services, Ernst and Young
- Paulette Flamond, executive director, Northeast Aboriginal Business and Wellness Centre
- David Young, chief executive officer, Sources Community Resource Centres
- Doug Kinna, Vice-President - Social, Information and Health, BCGEU
- Tom Syer, director of government affairs, Teck Resources
The council membership may be increased subsequent to Children and Family Development Minister Stephanie Cadieux’s initial meeting with members.
The multi-year strategic plan will address training, quality assurance mechanisms, streamlined policies and standards, an early warning system and alert code model for high-risk cases, and increased public confidence in the ministry.
The functions of the Representative for Children and Youth’s office are outside the scope of the strategic plan and the advisory council’s work. The representative's office has been offered full membership to the advisory council and government is hopeful they will accept that offer.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development’s 2016-17 budget provided $72.2 million, of which $65.5 million will address caseload and cost pressures with the remainder tagged as a start on addressing items outlined in Bob Plecas’ December 2015 report, Part One: Decision Time. This includes funding this year for 130 new staff, including 100 frontline social workers.
Moving beyond the current fiscal year needs, the council will help review all of the report’s findings to inform future budget decisions.
The advisory council’s first meeting is set for May 24, 2016. The terms of reference will be reviewed at that meeting and may be subject to revision. A working draft can be found here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Advisory_Council_Draft_Terms_of_Reference.pdf
Quick Facts:
- Over and above the council’s input, the ministry is also receiving advice from the Representative for Children and Youth’s office – through that office’s ongoing issuance of reports –, attendees at the Child and Family Gathering in late May, and senior advisor on Aboriginal child welfare Grand Chief Edward John, whose report to the minister is due in July.
- While the number of front-line social workers in B.C. has increased, the number of children in care has decreased by about 3,000 since 2001 to approximately 7,250 today – a 29% decline.
- As of December 2015, 2,429 full-time equivalent front-line staff were working in ministry offices throughout the province, including 1,418 front-line social workers.
- In B.C., the Aboriginal child population makes up 9% of the total child population, yet close to 61% of children living out of their parental home in the province are Aboriginal.
- The total number of Aboriginal children in care has been relatively stable since 2001, but the proportion has increased as the Province has been successful in reducing the number of non-Aboriginal children in care.
Learn More:
Read Plecas Review, Part One: Decision Time: ow.ly/2bwHia
A backgrounder follows
