It’s been called a humanitarian crisis as Indigenous children account for more than 60 percent of all kids in the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Services.
The provincial government is proposing to change child welfare policies that provide Indigenous communities with more involvement when it comes to child welfare decisions, keeping kids out of care, safe in their home communities and connected to their culture.
Green Party spokesperson for children and family development Sonia Furstenau says these changes are a good first step, but it’s just a start.
Furstenau recently made a statement on the proposed changes to Indigenous child welfare policies, with the end goal being a significant reduction in the number of First Nations children in foster homes.
She says these policies need to include two references in particular.
If approved, the proposed changes will allow the Ministry to share more information with Indigenous communities right from the start, keeping children from coming into care in the first place.
