Manitoba Government News Release–Amendments to the Child and Family Services Act (CFS) that allow new agreement-based supports to keep more children in their homes and out of the child welfare system are now in effect, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced today.
“Indigenous children have been overrepresented in the child welfare system for far too long,” said Fontaine. “Customary and kinship care keeps more children where they belong and where we know kids do best with family. By empowering family members, Indigenous nations, community and kin, we are ensuring the child welfare system works with parents who need additional support.”
Four new agreement types have been added to legislation, which came into effect on Oct. 1, providing CFS agencies with more options to keep parents actively involved in planning for their children while they retain guardianship and access additional support. These include family support, kinship care, customary care and voluntary care agreements. CFS agencies will collaborate with the nations they serve to develop policy for how these agreements are used, the minister said.
“We have always known what’s best for our children,” said Chief Lisa Young, Bloodvein First Nation. “This legislation will give Indigenous leadership greater decision-making powers in how children from our nations are cared for and establish collective responsibility and accountability as we take the lead on what our families need.”
An additional approximately $10 million has been allocated to Indigenous agencies to support the implementation and unique needs of customary and kinship care, keeping more children at home and further supporting the transition to Indigenous jurisdiction, the minister said.
“We believe that children need and have a right to be connected to their family, their community and their culture,” said Linda Ens, acting executive director, Kinship and Foster Family Network of Manitoba (KFFNM). “KFFNM and our foster parents are in full support of this and are pleased to be a part of this announcement. Agreements offer more solutions that are in the best interests of children. These family and community members will be offered the same resources and supports as foster parents allowing them to offer the best care possible to the children they receive into their home.”
The minister also noted the CFS act has been amended to further support the co-ordination of child welfare services and information sharing between provincially mandated services and those services that are delivered to Indigenous Manitobans through First Nation and Métis child welfare laws.
These amendments respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action to reduce the number of Indigenous children and care and affirm the right of Indigenous governments to establish and maintain their own child welfare agencies, noted Fontaine. These agreements also support national standards that create placement priorities for Indigenous children and families.