Child welfare

The Supreme Court of Canada is seen, Friday, June 16, 2023 in Ottawa. Bill C-92, or An Act Respecting First Nations, Metis and Inuit Children Youth and Families, became law in June 2019. It affirms that Indigenous nations have sole authority of their children and establishes minimum standards in caring for them. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Indigenous groups stand firm with child welfare law before Supreme Court

An Act Respecting First Nations, Metis and Inuit Children Youth and Families became law in June 2019

 

Fresh produce is shown at a market in Toronto on Wednesday Feb. 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Food insecurity a ‘public health crisis’ for B.C.’s Indigenous kids

Food costs hurting First Nations children at disproportionately high levels here and across Canada

 

A before, right, and after, left, x-ray of scoliosis. Contributed photo

Delays in scolios surgeries hurting kids, report says

Conference Board of Canada report says 4 in 10 children have surgery after recommended wait time.

 

Mitzi Dean, B.C.s minister of children and family development, speaks in the B.C. legislature, Nov. 24, 2021. The British Columbia government says staff members at the Children’s Ministry who failed to check on two Indigenous children who were systematically abused by their foster parents have lost their jobs. (Hansard TV)

B.C. staff who failed to check on two abused foster children lose jobs

Ministry: staff did not follow policy children in care should be seen regularly by social worker

Mitzi Dean, B.C.s minister of children and family development, speaks in the B.C. legislature, Nov. 24, 2021. The British Columbia government says staff members at the Children’s Ministry who failed to check on two Indigenous children who were systematically abused by their foster parents have lost their jobs. (Hansard TV)
Philip and Sonja Hathaway say they will camp in front of the B.C. legislature until they receive news of when they will get their newborn daughter back. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)

‘You’re failing’: BC Green Party critical of ministry that apprehended baby

Leaders from the party met the media to discuss systemic racism

Philip and Sonja Hathaway say they will camp in front of the B.C. legislature until they receive news of when they will get their newborn daughter back. (Hollie Ferguson/News Staff)
Chief Clinton Key, of the Key First Nation, speaks during a news conference about the launch of consultations regarding Bill C-92, federal legislation that re-affirms the rights of Indigenous communities to establish and provide their own child welfare services, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

First Nation chooses affluent Vancouver launch pad to reform Indigenous child welfare

Campaign aims at doing what’s best for children on the ‘front lines of colonization’

Chief Clinton Key, of the Key First Nation, speaks during a news conference about the launch of consultations regarding Bill C-92, federal legislation that re-affirms the rights of Indigenous communities to establish and provide their own child welfare services, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Alexandru Radita is shown in a handout photo from his 15th birthday party, three months before his death. A child welfare official from British Columbia testified Tuesday in an inquiry into the Calgary teen’s death. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Government of Alberta *MANDATORY CREDIT*

B.C. child welfare official testifies at inquiry into teen’s death in Calgary

Alexandru Radita was diabetic and weighed 37 pounds at the time of his death in 2013

Alexandru Radita is shown in a handout photo from his 15th birthday party, three months before his death. A child welfare official from British Columbia testified Tuesday in an inquiry into the Calgary teen’s death. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Government of Alberta *MANDATORY CREDIT*
BC Premier David Eby speaks during a press conference in Vancouver, Tuesday March 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rich Lam

Saskatchewan First Nation comes to B.C. to talk about taking over child welfare

Key First Nation expresses heartbreak and outrage following death of teen in B.C. care

BC Premier David Eby speaks during a press conference in Vancouver, Tuesday March 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rich Lam
A British Columbia advocacy organization says child poverty decreased in the province in 2020 due to government benefits launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the progress may be wiped out by rising living costs. A silhouette against the sky of a man holding a child in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, June 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Charlie Riedel

Pandemic benefits pushed down B.C.’s child poverty rate in 2020: advocacy group

Report shows 2020 child poverty rate was 13.3 per cent, a decrease from 18 per cent in 2019

A British Columbia advocacy organization says child poverty decreased in the province in 2020 due to government benefits launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the progress may be wiped out by rising living costs. A silhouette against the sky of a man holding a child in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, June 26, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Charlie Riedel
Protesters gather outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders. (Jacqueline Gelineau)

Unregistered social workers should not be allowed, says governing body

After a fraudulent social worker was caught stealing, the association is calling for regulations

Protesters gather outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders. (Jacqueline Gelineau)
Traevon Desjarlais-Chalifoux, 17, was found dead in a closet of an Abbotsford group home in September 2020 after being reported missing four days earlier. His mother testified on the first day of a coroners’ inquest into his death on Nov. 28, 2022. (Credit: GoFundMe)

Speed up shift to family care, says B.C. coroner’s jury in death of Cree teen

Jury has made 18 recommendations arising from death of group home resident Traevon Desjarlais

Traevon Desjarlais-Chalifoux, 17, was found dead in a closet of an Abbotsford group home in September 2020 after being reported missing four days earlier. His mother testified on the first day of a coroners’ inquest into his death on Nov. 28, 2022. (Credit: GoFundMe)
British Columbia’s provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa, Friday July 3, 2020. A British Columbia coroner’s jury will begin hearing evidence today into the death of an Indigenous teenager at a group home in the Fraser Valley. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Coroner’s inquest starts into death of Cree teen who died in B.C. group home

Body of Traevon Desjarlais found in the closet of his Abbotsford group home

British Columbia’s provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa, Friday July 3, 2020. A British Columbia coroner’s jury will begin hearing evidence today into the death of an Indigenous teenager at a group home in the Fraser Valley. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller, centre, Minister of Justice David Lametti and and Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu, appearing via video conference at left, participate in a news conference regarding the order from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to compensate Indigenous children and their families, in Ottawa, on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Tribunal says $40B Indigenous child-welfare agreement doesn’t satisfy all orders

Tribunal throws future of the deal into question as it urged the parties to continue negotiating

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Marc Miller, centre, Minister of Justice David Lametti and and Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu, appearing via video conference at left, participate in a news conference regarding the order from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to compensate Indigenous children and their families, in Ottawa, on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
An eagle feather and a baby hospital ID bracelet sit on a photo of a newborn baby during a press conference in support of the mother who’s newborn baby was seized from hospital by Manitoba’s Child and Family Services, in Winnipeg on Friday, January 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

‘A red herring:’ Experts warn ending birth alerts not the only solution

‘What we really need to get at is issues of systemic racism, poverty and domestic violence’

An eagle feather and a baby hospital ID bracelet sit on a photo of a newborn baby during a press conference in support of the mother who’s newborn baby was seized from hospital by Manitoba’s Child and Family Services, in Winnipeg on Friday, January 11, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Kids gather on one of the main docks in Tofino, as they participate in a massive global climate strike, in Tofino, B.C. on Sept. 27, 2019. In a national report released in 2022, study authors found climate change to be one of the top 10 threats facing children and youth in Canada. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Melissa Renwick)

Climate change now considered one of top threats facing Canadian children: report

Racism, poor mental health, bullying also identified by authors

Kids gather on one of the main docks in Tofino, as they participate in a massive global climate strike, in Tofino, B.C. on Sept. 27, 2019. In a national report released in 2022, study authors found climate change to be one of the top 10 threats facing children and youth in Canada. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Melissa Renwick)
An air ambulance like this one took a Langley child to hospital after a fall from a window. (Black Press Media files)

B.C. Toddler falls from third-storey window

Child taken to hospital by Air Ambulance

An air ambulance like this one took a Langley child to hospital after a fall from a window. (Black Press Media files)
Protesters, including First Nations groups, gathered outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders (Jacqueline Gelineau)

5 years prison time ‘not enough’ for fraudulent social worker: First Nations leaders

Robert Riley Saunders stole over $461,000 intended for vulnerable, primarily First Nations, youth

Protesters, including First Nations groups, gathered outside the Kelowna Court House during the sentencing of fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders (Jacqueline Gelineau)
(Courtesy photo)

Child hunger a major concern as Canadians hit by soaring food prices

About a third of people who rely on Canadian food banks are children

(Courtesy photo)
Protesters in front of the Kelowna court house (Jacqueline Gelineau)

Trust in social systems ‘destroyed’: Victim of fraudulent Kelowna social worker

Sentencing begins for fraudulent social worker Robert Riley Saunders

Protesters in front of the Kelowna court house (Jacqueline Gelineau)
Elliot Eurchuk, seen in a 2016 handout photo, died of an overdose at age 15 after being prescribed prescription opioids. His mother, Rachel Staples, wants secure care for addicted youth to prevent other families from suffering the same trauma. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Rachel Staples, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Families say ‘forced’ addiction care won’t work for youth while others say it could save lives

‘here is a loss of trust when you throw a kid into secure care, involuntarily’

Elliot Eurchuk, seen in a 2016 handout photo, died of an overdose at age 15 after being prescribed prescription opioids. His mother, Rachel Staples, wants secure care for addicted youth to prevent other families from suffering the same trauma. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Rachel Staples, *MANDATORY CREDIT*