Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in light of the high level of interest expressed by Members yesterday with respect to the review of child and family services by the Department of Health and Social Services, I would like to provide Members with a brief overview of this important study.
The Child and Family Services Program involves a number of different program components such as prevention, intervention, children in care, foster care, adoptions, medical foster care, treatment group home care and support services to families. The program is administered by the Department of Health and Social Services, under the authority of the Child and Family Services Act.
This Act is a relatively new piece of legislation. It was passed by the last Assembly and proclaimed in October, 1998, following 10 years of community consultation, including the Family Law Review.
As Members are aware, the number of children and families involved with the Child and Family Services Program is increasing dramatically. Currently, the Northwest Territories takes children into protective custody at a rate of two to three times that of the Prairie Provinces. Social workers are reporting an increase not only in the number of cases, but also in the complexity and severity of the child protection issues they are dealing with in the communities.
Mr. Speaker, there has never been a formal, comprehensive evaluation of child welfare practice in the Northwest Territories. Last fall, the department decided to contract with the Child Welfare League of Canada - the pre-eminent national child protection organization in the country - to undertake a review of the Child and Family Services Program.
The review was sole-sourced and later today, as promised, I will table the terms and conditions of that contract for the information of Members and the public.
The child and family services review is focusing primarily on the child protection component of the program. The review is comprehensive in its scope. It is meant to be a program evaluation and functional review of child welfare practice in the Northwest Territories. The reviewers have examined caseloads and practice standards, supervision, monitoring and competency based training requirements for child protection workers. In this context, the review will provide a blueprint for both the present and future needs, priorities, resource requirements and supports needed to ensure improved community-based child protection services with the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, as Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, I want to be able to assure Members and the public that child welfare practices in the Northwest Territories are appropriate and responsive to the needs of our children and families, and that they meet best practice standards which are in place elsewhere in Canada and North America.
Our residents, and especially children who are in need of protection from neglect and abuse, deserve the best support we can provide. The department has taken the initiative to subject itself and this very important program to a rigorous review. This is a quality assurance initiative that will provide valuable advice in the best interest of services to families and children.
I am confident the report will document the very difficult and complex challenges facing our social workers every day as they do their best to meet the needs of children and families. Child protection work is extremely emotional and, as evidenced by our recent discussions, generates considerable debate and concern.
It is important not to lose sight of what child protection is all about - the protection of children from abuse and neglect.