Child, Youth and Family Services Achieves Key Milestones in 2012

The significant undertakings accomplished in 2012 mark another successful year for the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services as it continues to transform and improve child, youth and family services and programs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“I am very pleased to see the many meaningful changes made within the department this year that have had such a positive impact on the lives of children, youth and their families throughout our province,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. “It must be acknowledged that the driving force behind each accomplishment was and continues to be a team of professionals who are dedicated to ensuring the best interests of our most vulnerable children and youth.”

Early in 2012, the department completed its final transition of child, youth and family services’ employees and programs from the four Regional Health Authorities when the Labrador Region transitioned on March 30. The transition of the Western, Central, Eastern and Labrador Regions marked a major achievement as it included a staff transfer of over 800 employees from the Regional Health Authorities into a department devoted solely to children and youth.

Also over the past year, major developments in child care were established with the announcement of the 10-Year Child Care Strategy. This strategy will provide a planned, systematic approach for the growth and enhancement of child care services across the province with a focus on ensuring accessible, affordable and quality child care spaces, especially in under-serviced areas and in areas with a need to strengthen labour force participation.

In addition to this 10-year strategy, the two-year Family Child Care Initiative pilot continued to create new regulated child care spaces in communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. As of November 2012, a total of 55 new regulated family child care homes were approved creating 307 regulated spaces and 74 applications are in various stages of the assessment process.

The department also announced the new Continuum of Care Strategy, which will drive positive change within the child protection system for children and youth in need of out-of-home placement. This strategy, which will be implemented starting in January 2013, includes: increasing funding to kinship arrangements and foster homes; enhancing supports and training for foster parents; and eliminating the need for current Alternate Living Arrangements by implementing a framework for staffed residential facilities.

As part of this strategy, a multi-media promotional campaign, Foster a Future…Foster a Child Today, was launched on November 16. The overall goal of this campaign is to create awareness surrounding the critical shortage of foster homes and encourage people to start the process of becoming a foster parent. The campaign directs all prospective foster parents to a centralized toll-free number (1-855-683-8111) and a dedicated website (FosteraFuture.ca).

“Feedback on this campaign has been very positive to date,” said Minister Johnson. “Within the first month of the campaign, the department received 92 inquiries, with 65 applications being sent out to those individuals interested in taking the next step to becoming a foster parent. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have made an inquiry thus far and encourage more Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to answer this important call to action.”

Another important achievement for the department was the collaboration with Aboriginal leaders and communities in the Labrador Region to establish a service delivery model that ensures best practices are implemented for the overall safety and well-being of Aboriginal children and youth. On November 6, Minister Johnson met with leaders of the Nunatsiavut Government, and the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation and Mushuau Innu First Nation to sign Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) that will provide the framework for improvement in overall service accessibility and effectiveness while recognizing the unique culture in Aboriginal communities.

These MOUs also establish expectations and a process for service coordination, which includes securing access to rights and benefits accrued to Innu and Inuit children and youth, as well as ensuring coordination with services operated by the Nunatsiavut Government and the two Innu First Nations such as child care services, family resource centres, group homes, medical facilities and shelters, all of which are important in supporting individuals that are involved with the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services.

“I am so proud of the important work completed this year and the team effort that was behind it,” said Minister Johnson. “A new year is on the horizon that is filled with opportunities to further strengthen our department’s programs and services. I look forward to working with the department and stakeholders in 2013 to continue supporting advancements in the delivery of programs and services throughout the province.”

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Media contact:
Michelle Hunt
Director of Communications
Department of Child, Youth and Family Services
709-729-5148, 725-1593
michellehunt@gov.nl.ca 

2012 12 27                             9:40 a.m.