About Us
Welcome
Welcome to the General Child and Family Services Authority (also known as the GA) and our website! There are many ways that the GA supports children, youth and families. Please read on to learn more about us. If at any time, you have questions or concerns, or you can’t find what you are looking for on our website, please feel free to contact us at (204) 984-9360 or toll free at 1-866-803-2814.
The GA is one of four child and family services authorities in Manitoba established in 2003. We are governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Minister of Families. Our Board is responsible for developing our vision statement and setting the strategic direction for our service system.
Our vision statement is, “Children and youth who are safe, happy, thriving and growing up with their family in a healthy, caring community.”
Our primary role is the oversight and support of our mandated agencies. We assist agencies to build capacity and to continually improve the services offered to children, youth and families throughout the province.
Agencies
As an authority, we mandate four agencies. Three are private, not-for-profit agencies. They include:
- Jewish Child and Family Service
- Child and Family Services of Western Manitoba
- Child and Family Services of Central Manitoba
Our fourth and largest agency, Winnipeg, Rural and Northern Child and Family Services, is a public agency with two branches, Winnipeg Child and Family Services and Rural and Northern Child and Family Services. Both branches are within the Department of Families. Through oversight and collaboration with our agencies, our primary responsibility is to ensure high quality child and family services throughout the province. There are many ways we support our agencies. Please see the graphic below for some examples.
Legislation
All four authorities operate under the same legislative framework. This legislative framework sets out the legal obligations and duties of the authorities. It is comprised of the following:
• Child and Family Services Authorities Act
• The Child and Family Services Authorities Regulation
• The Child and Family Services Act
À propos de la Régie générale
Bienvenue sur le site Web de la Régie générale des services à l’enfant et à la famille (connu aussi sous le nom de RG)!
La RG aide de diverses manières les enfants, les jeunes ainsi que les familles. Veuillez poursuivre votre lecture pour en savoir plus sur nous. Si à tout moment vous avez des questions ou des soucis, ou que vous n’arrivez pas à trouver ce que vous cherchez sur notre site Web, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter en composant le (204) 984-9360 ou sans frais le 1 866 803-2814.
La RG est une des quatre régies des services à l’enfant et à la famille au Manitoba créées en 2003.
Nous sommes gouvernés par un conseil d’administration dont les membres sont nommés par le ministre des Familles du Manitoba. Notre conseil d’administration a pour rôle de formuler notre énoncé de vision et de définir l’orientation stratégique de notre système de services.
Notre énoncé de vision est le suivant : « Des enfants et des jeunes en sécurité, heureux, qui s’épanouissent et grandissent avec leur famille au sein d’une collectivité en santé et bienveillante. »
Notre rôle principal est de superviser et soutenir nos offices mandatés. Nous apportons notre aide aux offices pour renforcer les capacités et continuellement améliorer les services offerts aux enfants, aux jeunes ainsi qu’aux familles dans toute la province.
Pour en savoir plus sur la RG et sur ce que nous faisons, cliquez sur les onglets suivants :
Offices
En tant que régie, nous mandatons quatre offices. Trois d’entre eux sont privés, à but non lucratif :
- Jewish Child and Family Service [disponible uniquement en anglais]
- Office des services à l’enfant et à la famille de l’ouest du Manitoba [disponible uniquement en anglais]
- Office des services à l’enfant et à la famille du centre du Manitoba
Notre quatrième et plus grand office, les Services à l’enfant et à la famille de Winnipeg, des régions rurales et du Nord est un office public composé de deux divisions, les Services à l’enfant et à la famille de Winnipeg et la Direction des services ruraux et du Nord. Ces deux divisions dépendent du ministère des Familles.
Par l’intermédiaire de la supervision et de la collaboration avec nos offices, notre principale responsabilité est d’assurer l’excellente qualité des services à l’enfance et à la famille dans toute la province. Nous soutenons nos offices de diverses façons. Quelques exemples de ce soutien sont présentés dans le graphique ci-dessous.
Législation
Les quatre offices sont régis par le même cadre législatif. Ce cadre législatif définit les obligations et tâches légales des régies. Il comprend :
What We Do
Leadership
- Set the vision & broad strategic direction for our service system
- Promote innovation by working with agencies to implement new initiatives that focus on family preservation & reunification
- Inform the public about the initiatives and activities of the GA service system
Assist Staff
To Build Skills & Confidence
- Develop exciting new training opportunities that reflect known leading practices
- Promote a learning environment that ensures the integartion of new skills into practice
- Consult with & advise front-line workers and supervisors
Support Agencies
To Continually Improve Practice
- Conduct quality assurance reviews that have a strengths-based focus
- Encourage ross-agency learning through peer-led training opportunities
- Create opportunities for children, youth & families to share their perspectives on services received
Oversight
- Provide funding to our agencies
- Regularly monitor expenditures throughout the year
- Work with agencies to develop annual spending plans to achieve system-wide goals
Research & Reporting
- Conduct research to identify positive emerging practices in child and family services
- Conduct evaluations & report on outcomes
- Continually monitor/report on key service trends
Promote
Opportunities for Youth to Succeed as Adults
- Provide information on scholarships
- Co-ordinate tuition waivers
- Offer a GA scholarship and bursary program
A Welcome From Our CEO & Board
As our vision states, we strongly believe in children and youth who are safe, happy, thriving and growing up with their family in a healthy, caring community.
The role of the board is to provide governance around the many issues and challenges facing child welfare and to ensure that our strategic directions always fit our vision and mission statements. To that end, our key initiatives over the last several years have focused on providing preventative and solution-focused, strengths-based approaches with families, with an emphasis on collaboration and engagement, and using a network of people who care about the children and are invested in their safety.
You will see from the many initiatives described on this website the practices we have put into place serve to strengthen family and community, helping to achieve our goals of healthy and supported children and youth. We invite you to explore the programs and initiatives included on our website in more detail.
Best Regards, GA Board of Directors and CEO Jay Rodgers
Mission, Vision, Guiding Principles
Mission
We are committed to the protection and care of children & families by building on the strengths of individuals.
Vision
Children and youth who are safe, happy, thriving and growing up with their family in a healthy, caring community.
The General CFS Authority Office in Downtown Winnipeg
Guiding Principles
In conducting our business, the General Authority will apply and promote the following principles:
Child/Family Centred Practice
- The best interest of the child is paramount
- A child functions best within a supportive family and community. To the greatest extent possible, families will be supported to provide a healthy, safe environment
- Policies and practices are strength-based, asset-focused and promote family and community-based systems of care and mutual support
Effective and Responsible Services
- Quality services are designed to meet the needs of those we support
- Services are evidence based, comprehensive, responsive and recognize and respect diversity
- The delivery of quality service is best achieved through promotion and support of a well-qualified workforce
Public accountability and fiscal responsibility are fundamental to the work of the authority
Board of Directors
James Lowry
Chair
Lizanne Lachance
Vice-Chair
Craig Johnson
Treasurer
Lorne Belmore
Board Member
Gregg Hanson
Board Member
Darlene MacDonald
Board Member
Joan Haugh
Board Member
Abimbola (Bim) Akin-Akinbulumo
Board Member
Director’s Leadership Table – Core Values
The Directors’ Leadership Table approved the following core values which together serve to articulate the collective identity, culture and service philosophy endorsed by the General Authority as a service system. These core values are an integral part of the framework that guides the development of annual operational plans for strengthening services.
The General Authority embraces a strengths-based approach as the philosophical framework that will guide its work. Consistent with this perspective, the General Authority’s Directors’ Leadership Table adopts the following as core values: