NLIS 23
March 21, 2005
(Health and Community Services)
(Justice)
Budget 2005 enhances services for
children
The Williams government remains committed to
protecting the future leaders of our province by improving the quality of
services and strengthening program support for children in Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Investments totaling approximately $6.5 million to improve services to better
meet the needs of the children in our province were announced today by John
Ottenheimer, Minister of Health and Community Services, and Justice Minister and
Attorney General Tom Marshall. These include the introduction of a victim
services program to support children under the age of 16 who testify in criminal
proceedings, improvements for the early learning and childcare system, and
additional social workers for Labrador.
Strengthening the Role of Child Victims
The Department of Justice will create Victim Services to Children, a program
which will strengthen justice services for child victims and witnesses under the
age of 16. The introduction of a program for children will fill gaps which
currently exist within the system by providing court preparation services to
help children who testify in criminal proceedings. The new program will provide
information services regarding the criminal justice system, pre-court
preparation, and counseling.
"The establishment of Victim Services to Children is a positive, proactive
approach in assisting victims and witnesses of crime under the age of 16, and
will be an important tool to improve support and information available to
victims," said Minister Marshall. "Government is responding to the needs of
children who require assistance in criminal proceedings. We are pleased to
introduce this long overdue initiative which will strengthen the role of victims
in the criminal justice system. The court system can be intimidating and
difficult for young children, and the establishment of a program for children
will help ensure that child victims have a support system in place."
Budget 2005 will provide $255,200 to support start-up costs associated with the
program. The program is expected to cost $400,000 annually and will be
self-sustaining with the implementation of a 15 per cent Provincial Victim Fine
Surcharge. The surcharge will fund the program in its entirety, and will include
various provincial statute offences, excluding parking offences and offences
pertaining to municipal acts.
Improving Accessible and Affordable Child Care Services
Budget 2005 commits $6 million of an $11 million federal trust to continue
building and improving the regulated early learning and child care system. The
balance of the trust will be drawn down as required in future years. New
investment will support more affordability and accessibility, with a priority on
increasing the number of available regulated child care spaces throughout the
province, particularly in under serviced areas. Government will also advance its
plan to improve quality in regulated early learning and child care settings.
This builds on government's recent announcement of an additional $16.8 million
of federal funding over five years to increase the number of low-income families
accessing the Child Care Services Subsidy Program, enhance the quality of child
care, make child care more accessible to families with the greatest need and
improve child care services for children with special needs and their families.
"The future of any province and any family is its children. Making child care
more affordable, particularly for low income families, will ensure no child gets
left behind and all children have an equal opportunity for the brightest
possible future," said Minister Ottenheimer.
To advance these aims, government will consult with community organizations and
key individuals who have an interest in early learning and child care. Increased
opportunities for accessible, affordable and quality early learning and child
care will directly support children and families by improving children's
capacity for life long learning and improving parent's opportunities to access
work and study.
Protecting Children
A more responsive child protection system has resulted in significant
increases in the number of reported cases in which children need protection.
Having discovered the depth and gravity of the need for child protection,
government recently announced that Budget 2005 will provide an additional
$250,000 to permanently hire three additional social workers in Natuashish and
other aboriginal communities. This builds on the $500,000 commitment made in
Budget 2004 for an additional five social work positions for Nain, Hopedale,
Makkovik, Sheshatshui and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
Media contact:
Carolyn Chaplin, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377, 682-5093
Heather MacLean, Justice, (709) 729-6985, 690-2498
BACKGROUNDER
Victim services program for children
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Victim Services was established
in 1991 to provide services to victims 16 years and older who must testify
in criminal proceedings.
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Programs are delivered through
10 regional offices throughout Newfoundland and Labrador including St.
John�s, Carbonear, Clarenville, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Corner Brook,
Stephenville, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nain and Port Saunders.
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Victim Services is a critical
component of the Newfoundland and Labrador judicial system, providing court
services to persons who have been victims of criminal offences.
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Due to a limited mandate,
children under the age of 16 have been assisted with victim impact
statements only. The creation of a Victim Services program for children will
introduce court support services, and information to victims and witnesses
of crime under the age of 16 who testify in criminal proceedings.
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Currently, there is not an
agency in the province with a mandate to provide court services to
victims/witnesses under the age of 16.
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Newfoundland and Labrador had
been the only province that did not provide assistance to child victims and
witnesses.
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Implementation of a Provincial
Victim Fine Surcharge (15 per cent) will fund the new program. The surcharge
will apply to Provincial Statute offences, and will exclude parking offences
and offences pertaining to municipal acts.
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A victim surcharge is a monetary
penalty added to fines imposed on offenders, and collected by the provincial
government with revenue to be used to provide programming, services and
assistance to victims of crime. All jurisdictions in the country impose such
a surcharge.
2005 03 21
3:20 p.m. |