Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the difficult and emotional issue of child protection.
Mr. Speaker, in October 1998, new legislation was passed to improve the way the child protection services are delivered. The Child and Family Services Act was developed following extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders. During these consultations, it was stated quite clearly that this act must place the real interests of the child and the well-being of families at the forefront.
Child protection work is difficult. It is hard to imagine any social worker actively seeking out an opportunity to apprehend a child unless there was a compelling reason to do so. That compelling reason, Mr. Speaker, is the need for society to intervene when children are at risk of abuse or neglect. No child in the NWT should have to live with abuse and neglect. We task social workers with taking action on our behalf when children are being abused or neglected.
As we all know, children who have been the victims of abuse or neglect often require a great deal of help to recover and come to terms with what has happened to them. Removing children from such situations means that the abuse or neglect stops, at least while the child is in protective custody. It means that parents are forced to recognize that their behaviour has consequences for their children, which in turn provides an opportunity to work with the family to try to stabilize the home environment so that the child can then return home. Unfortunately, for some children this cycle in and out of care is repeated, often over a period of years.
Mr. Speaker, no one can deny that it is a terrible thing to have one's children apprehended. Surely no one would suggest that we should tolerate cases of child neglect and abuse in the hopes that the situation would eventually resolve or because other families in the community have similar problems.
Yes, parents have rights. They have the right to make choices about how they are going to parent their children. However, with that wonderful gift and privilege of parenthood comes the responsibility to care for each child and to provide the necessities of life. None of us has the right to abuse or neglect our children, or to expect that society will not intervene if we do so.
Mr. Speaker, children also have rights, even though they cannot advocate for themselves in the manner that their parents can. Our legislation says that children have the right to grow up free from the fear of abuse and neglect. They have the right to be loved and cared for by responsible adults. They have a right to be safe and secure.
Sadly, this is not always the case. In some regions and communities, up to 90 percent of child protection cases involve alcohol abuse. There are cases of young children who are not fed or who are abandoned for hours or days at a time while their parents drink or gamble. Our nurses and doctors are diagnosing and treating children, including babies and toddlers, with sexually transmitted diseases they have contracted from the very people who are supposed to love and care for them. Many of the children in care have special needs due to FAS/FAE that are beyond the capacity of their parents to address.
We should be very concerned about these children, Mr. Speaker.
The choices social workers face when dealing with families where children are being abused or neglected are extremely difficult. In many cases, the choices are also very limited. In every case, Mr. Speaker, the assessment is based on the least harmful alternative available in that community for that child. Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree that children who must be removed from their homes should remain in their home communities wherever possible. Our child protection practice guidelines emphasize this. It is important that children remain connected to their families and their friends so that the disruption in their lives is kept to an absolute minimum. Children need these vital supports and connections to their community to help them cope.
In a November 2000 snapshot of children receiving some form of child protection services, 80 percent of these children were receiving services in their home communities, 14 percent received services in another NWT community, and six percent required high specialized intervention services that are only available outside of the NWT.
Placement in another community or jurisdiction may be due to a number of reasons:
- • the child is not considered safe in their home community, either because of their own actions or those of others;
- • there are no services available to meet the child's needs in their home community;
- • the child needs specialized services available only at a regional or territorial level or, in some instances, in another jurisdiction.
It is important to note, however, that the majority of placements outside of the home community occur with the full support of the child's family. These families realize that their child's needs come first and they want the best possible care for them.
The same snapshot has also revealed that 49 percent of children receiving protective and/or support services under the Child and Family Services Act are receiving these services through voluntary agreements between the parents and social workers. Mr. Speaker, this is most promising as it demonstrates that our new legislative base for protecting both the interests of the child and the family is indeed working, and that many parents are actively seeking support to deal with family problems.
As Members know, the review of child and family services by the Child Welfare League of Canada is evidence of our department's commitment to the well-being of children and families. We have begun to implement many of the recommendations and appreciate your support for the establishment of ten new social worker positions to help alleviate some of the worst workload pressures on our front-line staff and to ensure that more preventative work can be done. New funding will also be invested in training for social workers and foster parents.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank and acknowledge social workers in our communities, who have the very difficult job of acting on our behalf in enforcing our legislation. The well-being of all our children is paramount. I will continue to keep this issue a priority as Minister responsible for these most vulnerable constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause