Child Welfare Review Consultations Begin
Thursday, April 01, 2010 at 12:31
The independent panel that is conducting a comprehensive review of child welfare in Saskatchewan is beginning three months of stakeholder consultations today.
The government says the review panel will engage with First Nations and Metis organizations and other child welfare stakeholders across the province between now and the end of June.
Chair Bob Pringle says the panel has established six broad themes to help guide the consultations — Prevention, Protection, Quality of Care, Family Reunification, Permanency and Youth Transitions.
Pringle says the review will include in-person consultations for the province’s north, and will make a stop in Stony Rapids to meet with Black Lake and other northern communities.
The panel includes Howard Cameron from the Beardy’s Okemasis First Nation and former Ile-a-la-Crosse resident April Durocher.
The review panel says it will consider all aspects of child welfare in Saskatchewan, including fostering, adoption, child protection, and the prevention of child abuse and neglect.
The panel will provide recommendations in the fall for the government’s consideration.
Groups and individuals have three ways to make their views known to the panel — consultation meetings, written submissions and online consultation.
The province says anyone with an interest in child welfare in Saskatchewan may complete an online questionnaire for submission to the panel.
The questionnaire can be accessed on the Saskatchewan Child Welfare Review website at www.saskchildwelfarereview.ca.