The Saskatchewan government last undertook a child welfare review in 2010. Eight years later, the Opposition NDP are calling on the province to launch another review of children in care of the state.
The amount of Indigenous children in care was a prime focus of deputy NDP leader Carla Beck in a Wednesday morning press conference.
Based on Social Services data, the amount of children in care climbed from 4,492 in 2013 to 5,212 last year. Of those, 67 per cent were Indigenous in 2013, climbing to 72 per cent in 2017.
The amount of kids in out of home care as of May 31, 2018 is 5,252. Indigenous children make up 70.9 per cent of those kids, according to Social Services.
“What we’re saying is it’s time to stop talking about it, actually listen to the communities and start finding solutions,” Beck said.
In addition to a comprehensive review of child welfare legislation, the NDP want to see a provincial advocate for Indigenous children, plus more supports for vulnerable families and prevention programs to keep more children in their homes and communities.
“Right now what we’re hearing from a lot of communities, a lot of families is that there a minimal supports available to actually keep kids in their home and to address the reasons that they’re entering into care,” Beck said.
In a statement, Social Services Minister Paul Merriman said it is important to note the province’s current children’s advocate, Corey O’Soup, is from the Key First Nation and the first Indigenous children’s advocate in Saskatchewan.
O’Soup is the fourth person to hold that title.
Merriman’s statement acknowledged the “long-standing overrepresentation” of Indigenous kids the social services system.
He said this is the case across Canada and there is still work to do.
“We currently have agreements with 17 First Nations Child and Family Service agencies to deliver mandated child welfare services on-reserve, and three to deliver mandated child welfare services off-reserve,” Merriman said.
“Close to 60 per cent of children in out of home care reside with extended family members. We continue to look for opportunities to reduce the number of families requiring protective interventions, reduce the likelihood of continued involvement with the system and build capacity within extended families.”
Merriman did not mention the call for a review of child welfare legislation in his statement.
O’Soup did reinforce his support for an advocate for Indigenous children, as long as it is under and funded by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.
“Now I think that would be a little different than the work that we’re doing here, and if that time ever does come I believe we would support them and we would work in partnership with them,” O’Soup said.
“But right now, our number one goal is to build better relationships with our First Nations partners.”
For future direction on how to reduce the amount if children in care, specifically Indigenous kids, O’Soup said he wants to see a greater emphasis on prevention. He believes one of the best ways to address that is education.
“I don’t just mean K-12 education, I mean lifelong education,” O’Soup said.
“Working with the early years, and also working with young moms before kids are even born. Prenatal care, teaching them that things they put in their body are going to have an effect on the kids as they grow up.”
This extends to lifelong learning in O’Soup’s view, including everyone from small children to grandparents.
“I’m stated as the advocate for children and youth, but I don’t believe I can do a good job if I don’t advocate for healthy children and healthy communities. I believe we need to invest in children and youth and families,” O’Soup said.
As for a review, O’Soup said there are two directions that could work.
One would be looking at the recommendations put forward in the 2010 review, see what’s worked, what still needs to be done and then go from there.
The second option could be a prolonged review of child welfare legislation. He said that a lot has changed since 2010.
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