First Nations children still taken from parents

First Nations children still taken from parents - Politics - CBC News

Analysis finds more First Nations children in care than at height of residential school system

John Beaucage has given the heartbreak he sees around him a name: the Millennium Scoop.

The First Nations leader was recently hired by the Ontario government to look into aboriginal child welfare and what he found -- not just in Ontario, but across the country -- was despair.

After decades of wrestling with the impact of the residential school system -- and then with the "Sixties Scoop" that placed so many aboriginal children in non-aboriginal homes -- First Nations are now facing another tragedy of lost children in the new millennium.

There are more First Nations children in care right now than at the height of the residential school system. That system was a national disgrace that prompted Prime Minister Stephen Harper to apologize for its catastrophic impact on natives.

Instead of being at home with their parents, brothers and sisters, tens of thousands of First Nations children are in foster homes, staying with distant relatives or living in institutions.

"It's a culmination of decades worth of social ills," Beaucage says.

A disheartening mix of poverty, addiction, history and politics has conspired to separate First Nations children from their parents.

Researchers aren't certain how many native kids are no longer living with their parents. A major study in 2005 pegged the number at 27,500. Since then, provincial and federal data as well as empirical reports suggest the numbers have risen.

That's easily double the size of the cohort forced away from their homes and into residential schools during the late 1940s and 50s -- a brutal period of Canada's history that still haunts First Nations families.

There's no question native children dominate the child welfare system.

Former auditor general Sheila Fraser estimated First Nations children were eight times more likely to be in care than other Canadian kids. She pointed out that in British Columbia, of all the children in care, about half are aboriginal -- even though aboriginals are only about eight per cent of the population.

Beaucage's report says aboriginal people make up about two per cent of the population, but between 10 to 20 per cent of the children in care.

"Given the data I've had a chance to see, if anything, it's an underestimation," said Nico Trocme, director of McGill University's Centre for Research on Children and Families.

"It's getting harder to be a parent in these communities."

Jeremy Meawasige is on the cusp of becoming the next child in that pile of statistics.

The 16-year-old Mi'kmaq from the Pictou Landing First Nation in Nova Scotia has myriad challenges: autism, cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and a tendency to hurt himself.

But his latest affliction comes courtesy of inter-jurisdictional squabbling.

Ever since his mother had a double stroke last year and was no longer able to give her son the support he needed, she has had to rely on government funded social services.

But with each level of government pointing to the other for support, and his mother turning to band generosity in the meantime, Jeremy is now poised to be sent to an institution far from the only home he has ever known.

"They did an assessment on us, and say Jeremy is at the level where he should be institutionalized. I told them, over my dead body," said mother Maurina Beadle.

"I'm the only person he will eat for. If you put him in an institution, that's it."

But with no one willing to provide long-term funding that would cover the costs of supporting Beadle and Jeremy on reserve, authorities want to send him to an institution outside the province.

His supporters say it's a classic case of what has become known as Jordan's Principle.

"Jordan" was Jordan River Anderson, a Cree boy from Manitoba who died in hospital at the age of five as he waited for federal and provincial governments to agree how to pay for his care.

Ottawa and provincial governments have vowed not to let such a thing happen again. They say a child in need of services will receive the services immediately, and the governments will work out the payment scheme later.

But Jeremy's mother argues that if her son were off-reserve, he would be entitled to far more funding and services than he is receiving now -- funding and services that would enable her to keep Jeremy at home where he belongs.

"I've decided I'm going to fight for that," she says.

She has launched a formal court challenge, one that echoes a broader dispute taking place at the Federal Court of Canada.

In that case, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, along with the Assembly of First Nations and the Canadian Human Rights Commission, are arguing the discrepancy in funding for child welfare services on reserves versus off reserves constitutes discrimination.

Ottawa contends it's not fair to compare the two.

Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the caring society, says she sees case after case of First Nations children in trouble being sent routinely into care because that's where the funding is instead of trying to help families deal with their problems.

As the lawyers duke it out, laments Beadle, "Jeremy regresses."

It would be myopic, however, to blame only jurisdictional wrangling and funding discrepancies for the high rates of First Nations children in care.

Expert after expert recognizes that family dysfunction is more broadly rooted in poverty, poor health and the oppressive legacy of the residential school system that robbed the parents of first-hand knowledge of how to raise a family.

"The simplest reason why, the most important reason why, is that these children are living in communities where families are facing enormous hardships," says McGill's Trocme. "The supports to bring up kids just aren't there."

A child at risk often comes from a home that is over-crowded, with up to four people to a sparse room. The home may not have clean drinking water. It may have mould or boarded-up windows as the house falls into disrepair.

The parents are often not there, or not paying attention.

Instead, they're in their own cycle of trouble, often related to addictions. Or they have not developed the social skills or parenting skills they need to deal with a precarious situation.

In the fridge, there might be some pop or processed food, but little fresh produce.

At school, there would be reading and writing. But not much in the way of library books or gym equipment or things to do after school.

In remote communities, the volunteer network that the urban poor rely on, such as the Salvation Army, shelters or food banks, is virtually non-existent.

In some cases, the child at risk is the victim of violence or abuse. More often than not, when the child welfare system steps in, it's because of neglect.

Neglect, however, "is not trivial," Trocme warns. Studies have shown that neglected children have the hardest time moving beyond their troubles, as their cognitive development becomes impaired.

"They have the absolute worst outcomes," Trocme says.

Still, the Millennium Scoop is not the Sixties Scoop, when children were removed from their homes and adopted by families far from the reserve. There was little discussion then about what would happen to a child once he or she was taken into care.

There is now a recognition that assimilation is not an option, says Beaucage, and there is some attempt to plan for family reunification.

Troubled children are increasingly being removed from their homes, but about half the time, they are placed in other First Nations homes, says Trocme. About 90 per cent of them eventually wind up back home at some point, perhaps as an adult, he says. So the family ties are not being broken as in the past.

"Families don't disappear when you remove a child," he says.

The number of First Nations children in the child welfare system is rising. But slowly funding is also on the rise and so is discussion and innovation about how to help them, he said.

In mainstream society, the number of children in care dropped suddenly in the 1970s. That's when child welfare agencies switched their focus. Instead of removing children from their home as a first resort, they devoted resources to prevention and help for troubled families.

The same approach wasn't applied toward First Nations, Trocme says, but that is changing.

The federal government has added a new layer of child-welfare funding directed toward prevention. It is also funding a growing number of child welfare agencies run by First Nations themselves.

Many First Nations complain that their other child services are so broke that the prevention dollars are sucked away by other more immediate needs.

But Ottawa points to some success in Alberta, where it invested $98 million over five years for its new approach.

The number of children in the care of First Nations agencies in that province has now stabilized, or even edged down slightly, federal documents show.

Not every province has such a program quite yet, although Ottawa hopes to achieve that by next year.

The federal numbers don't take into account the children who are in the hands of provincial agencies. And there are pervasive reports of widespread disillusionment and despair at the local level, says Beaucage.

But there are signs at senior levels of government of creative thinking and a willingness to allow First Nations a stronger hand in child welfare, he says.

"There's a fair bit of flexibility and open-mindedness at the top level," he said.

"We're going to have to measure our success in decades and generations."

Amy Brigham Angel House and the Therapeutic Day Care Center

Is it normal practice for a caseworker that works with families recovering from alcohol or other drug abuse, to also be a Ma. Foster parent? Might she be taking in the children from the parent's in this program? Wouldn't that be a conflict of interest?

Coroner: Adopted teen died of hypothermia in backyard

Coroner: Adopted teen died of hypothermia in backyard | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News | Local & Regional

SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. -- The Skagit County coroner has ruled than an adopted 13-year-old girl died of hypothermia in her own backyard.

It happened in May, but police and Child Protective Services are still investigating, and now, so are the KOMO Problem Solvers.

International Society For Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry 2011 Conference - Los Angeles

ISEPP - 2011 Conference - Los Angeles

New Hampshire-Report says LGC owes taxpayers $100 million

Report says LGC owes taxpayers $100 million | New Hampshire NEWS06

WOW, thing's are really heating up in New Hampshire! First DHHS has to pay back the Fed's $35 MIL, now the LCG owes the Taxpayer's $100 MIL. Who will get caught next? Hopefully NH DCYF will be next, fraudulently receiving federal funding! I can dream can't I!

CONCORD - The battle over whether taxpayers should get back $100 million that Local Government Center insurance operations collected is headed to administrative hearings at the Secretary of State's Office.

A report by the office's Bureau of Securities Regulation states that the LGC illegally converted its non-profit health and property insurance operations into Delaware corporations in 2003. Since that time, the report alleges LGC has engaged in a list of questionable activities. They include shifting health insurance funds into unrelated operations, running a bloated reserve fund, forcing insured towns to pay New Hampshire Municipal Association dues, and creating a generous retirement plan for its workers and administrators.

Bureau of Securities Regulation's Summary of Report on Local Government Center

Foster Child Bill of Rights-Not Practiced in New Hampshire

Foster Child Bill of Rights

Download this document in these formats:
Foster Child Bill of Rights (PDF) | RTF
Preamble
The Department of Children and Families recognizes the following rights of children and youth in foster care. These rights are intended to guide the Department and its providers in the delivery of care and services to foster youth with the commitment to permanency, safety and well being. This Bill of Rights was developed by the Department’s Youth Advisory Board.

So when does this Bill of Right's go into effect, because it sure isn't how Foster children are treated in New Hampshire!

Every Foster Child

Shall be treated with respect by DCF staff, foster parents and providers without regard to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and/or disability.

Shall have family and relatives explored first as potential placement providers.

Shall have reasonable access to a caseworker who makes case plan decisions. Reasonable access shall include the social worker and supervisor’s office telephone numbers and email addresses as well as, a minimum, monthly visits by social worker.

Shall participate in the development and review of the service plan and have input into changes to the plan that affect permanence, safety, stability or well being. Youth age 14 and older should also be presented with the service plan for their review and signature.

Shall be informed in a manner appropriate to age and level of understanding of the reason(s) the Department of Children and Families became involved with his/her family and why he/she is in care.

Shall be included in the Foster Care Review meeting, Permanency Hearing and Lead Agency Team meeting if age 14 and older, unless documented by court order or service plan that participation would be detrimental to the youth. If the youth is unable to attend in person, he/she Shall have the right to submit a written statement to be considered at the meeting.

Shall be provided with information about a foster family or program and, whenever possible,Shall have an opportunity to meet the foster parent or program staff before placement occurs.

Shall live with a family and in placement settings that provide a safe and nurturing environment while supporting permanency, and well being, including encouraging youth’s goals, interests, social and school activities.

Shall have involvement as appropriate with family members and should participate in the development of visitation plans.

Shall receive support from social worker, foster family/provider in maintaining positive contact with significant people (relatives, teachers, friends and community supports) including assistance with contact information and visitation.

Shall be treated as a family member and, whenever possible, be included in a foster family’s activities, holidays and rituals and be able to freely discuss reason(s) with social worker and foster family if choosing to not participate.

Shall have access to medical, dental, vision, mental and behavioral health services regularly and more often as needed.

Shall have access to information contained in medical, dental, and educational records held by DCF as well as personal documents such as social security card, birth certificate, green card, etc. When youth leave DCF, they Shall be given copies of medical, dental and educational records held by DCF and original social security card, birth certificate, and green card.

Shall have the opportunity to have private conversations with social worker on a regular basis. Foster youth should also be made aware of the process for contacting the supervisor and attorney regarding any questions or concerns.

Shall be informed of the names and phone numbers of assigned attorneys and be aware that they can contact their attorneys and
that there is a process to request a change of attorneys.

Shall have access to personal possessions, personal space and privacy with allowance for safety.

Shall receive assistance in acquiring life skills, education, training and career guidance to accomplish personal goals and prepare for the future and be informed of the post-secondary educational and employment supports available to youth in care through the Department.

Shall be informed that DCF provides clothing, birthday and holiday payments to foster parents and placement providers for youth in placement.

Petition: Judge Monize: Reunify Leslie brown and children

Petition: Judge Monize: Reunify Leslie brown and children | Change.org

Father was never charged with any crime, mother of children was the perpetrator and father has done everything that DCF has requested and has even gone above and beyond in order for reunification and now they are trying to adopt children out unjustified!