The Child and Youth Advocate, Darlene Neville,
announced today that she will conduct an investigation, pursuant to
Section15.(1)(a) of the Child and Youth Advocate Act, of the
services provided by Child, Youth and Family Services, Labrador-Grenfell
Regional Integrated Health Authority, to the families of a 13 year old
boy and a five year old girl who died as a result of a fire in Happy
Valley-Goose Bay in June 2008.
Ms. Neville acknowledged that during January 2009
staff in her office received a referral from a concerned citizen in
Happy Valley-Goose Bay regarding the child protection services provided
to the13 year old boy and his family prior to the fire. Neville
confirmed that staff in her office had originally taken no action in
response to this referral, and that she had not been informed of the
referral having been received. Neville stated that it was during a June
2009 meeting with Yvonne Jones, Leader of the Official Opposition, that
she first learned of the January 2009 referral to her office relating to
the provision of child protection services to the 13 year old boy and
his family.
Neville stated that after being informed of the
existence of this referral, she requested and received documentation
from Child, Youth and Family Services in Labrador regarding the services
provided to these families. She has now personally reviewed that
documentation and determined that an investigation by the Office of the
Child and Youth Advocate is required.
Ms. Neville stated that as certain staff in her office
concluded in January 2009 that the referral regarding the provision of
child protection services to the 13 year old boy and his family did not
warrant any action or follow up, it would be inappropriate for those
staff members to now undertake an investigation of the same referral.
Ms. Neville stated she has today written the Management Commission of
the House of Assembly seeking assistance with respect to the conduct of
this investigation. She confirmed that she will personally conduct the
investigation until such time as the Management Commission can respond
to her request for assistance.
On Monday, August 3, 2009, notice of the intention of
the Child and Youth Advocate to conduct an investigation, as required by
the Child and Youth Advocate Act, was provided to the Chief
Executive Officer, Labrador-Grenfell Regional Integrated Health
Authority, Boyd Rowe; to the Deputy Minister of Child, Youth and Family
Services, Sheree MacDonald; and to the Acting Deputy Minister of Health,
Don Keats.
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Media contact:
Shirley Prior
Office of the Child and Youth Advocate
709-753-3636
2009 08 07
9:45 a.m.