LOU begins formal partnership to improve child care

Elder Maria Linklater is encouraged by the formal steps that have been taken to bring home First Nations children who are in provincial care. But she cautions that signing a letter of understanding is not enough.

“We must be really serious about it. Not just for today, but forever for the future. Because there are still lots of children who are stuck in care,” Linklater said, speaking at the Sept. 18 ceremony which unveiled the formal relationship between the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and Saskatchewan’s Advocate for Children and Youth.

The LOU will see First Nations play a significantly larger role in addressing the issues that force their children into provincial care. Eighty per cent of children in provincial care are First Nations.
 The LOU is a step in bringing about “the transformative change to child welfare” that First Nations and many community-based organizations have been calling for over the years, said FSIN Vice Chief Dutch Edward Lerat.

“First Nations want to ensure all citizens of Saskatchewan experience the Saskatchewan advantage. In order to accomplish this we must ensure truly transformative change is enacted that includes substantial ownership by First Nations,” Lerat said.
The Children’s Advocate office and FSIN have been working together since the Advocate’s office was formed in 1994.

“This letter of understanding formalizes our working relationship as we seek to continue to collectively recognize, address and resolve issues affecting First Nation youth and children,” Lerat said.

The framework focuses on keeping children out of care by ensuring children and their families receive increased support services, which are culturally-responsive and delivered at the community level.

The new approach to child care follows recommendations that were made after an independent review panel examined the child welfare system in 2010. Among the recommendations were the need for a preventive-based approach to child welfare as well as a deliberate and planned handing-over of child welfare and prevention services to First Nation and Métis control.

Children’s Advocate Bob Pringle, who chaired that independent review panel, says he is “keenly aware” of the issues that face First Nations children and youth, which result in them coming into the care of the province.

Poverty, substance abuse, housing, and family violence were all identified as underlying factors that lead to children being taken into care.

 “We see the daily living struggles… We strongly believe… that there must be a better way to serve these children, youth and families. And this can only be achieved by working respectfully together with the FSIN, the First Nation agencies, the Metis organizations, with community members and government through positive relationships like this,” Pringle said.

Linklater stressed that First Nations children must be raised by their families, in their culture and in their communities, creating leaders and not followers.

“Help us bring all our children home. If you can do that, then you’re following what you just signed here,” Linklater said.