A telephone call can save a child’s life
This week in Edmonton, the minister of Human Services’ child intervention roundtable held a welcome two-day discussion of child death in provincial care. This is important. As George Santayana famously wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
At the roundtable, important things were said. For example, “There is no worse adverse outcome than the death of a child in Alberta that is preventable.”
But the vital issue of prevention was not the roundtable’s focus. As experts discussed classification of cause and manner of death, creating data sets and improving organizational structure, ordinary folk were using the government’s website to comment rapidly online. Some lamented the focus and expressed impatient outrage:
“The question isn’t, ‘What happened before?’ The Real Question is ‘What should have happened before?’”
“We need to Shed LIGHT on STOPPING Death ... Proactive instead of Reactive ... STOP Death”
“Hold ALL who were responsible in the now dead child’s life and then hold them accountable for their level of culpability in that child’s death, along with swift and fitting punitive action.”
If we accept that it takes a village to rear a child, then we would assume some personal responsibility for what we see around us. Some child deaths could be prevented if we each altered our cultural aversion to intervening in what we might believe are other people’s affairs.
We pass such duties to our children easily. For example, many parents warn their children not to abuse substances. They tell them also to look out for a buddy or even a stranger at a party who is very sick or unconscious: “Find a phone, hide, call 911, identify the problem and location. There is usually no need to identify yourself.”
Even if a friend finds out and believes the caller has “squealed” on a peer, the arrival of medical help can prevent serious injury or death. We tell children and youth to look out for each other, but do we expect adults to look out for children and youth?
The Alberta Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act answers that question clearly. In Section 4(1), it states, “Any person who has reasonable and probable
It does take a village to raise a child, and all adults must do their part.
grounds to believe that a child is in need of intervention shall forthwith report the matter to a director.”
In practical terms, adults in Alberta have a statutory duty to act immediately to prevent emotional or physical injury and death of children. Adults must call. The number is 1-800-387-5437 (KIDS), but 911 will do. This is not difficult.
Punishment can follow. As Section 4(6) reads, “Any person who fails to comply with subsection (1) (by reporting that a child is in need of protection) is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of not more than $2000 and in default of payment to imprisonment for a term of not more than 6 months.”
So we already have a law that has great potential to prevent child death, but we seem squeamish about taking it seriously. Which brings us to the tragic death last spring of seven-yearold Ryan Lovett in Calgary. His mother was apparently alone in the job of parenting. Police allege that she treated the bacterial infection unsuccessfully with homeopathy. It seems the police aim to make an example of her. Staff Sgt. Mike Cavilla is quoted as saying, “It should absolutely serve as a warning to other parents. The message is simple: If your child is sick, take them to the doctor.”
But as Cavilla himself says, even though many people knew that the little boy was very sick, “no one contacted authorities.” The policeman rightly commented, “I think there is a moral responsibility, if you see a child in medical (or any other distress) to make a phone call to police or child and family services to notify people there may be a problem.”
This is not just a moral, but also a legal duty. A telephone call can save a child’s life.
After the minister of Human Services’ roundtable wrapped up, the question remains whether we will use the tools we already have to prevent child death. Will the police charge the people who knew Ryan was sick and not receiving medical care, but who did not call 911?
After this tragedy, a cultural shift must take place to allow each of us to feel that by calling for help we not interfering, but helping to care. If we are to make an example of one, then we should make an example of all. The Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act states in effect: it does take a village to raise a child, and all adults must do their part.