Revelations ‘a step forward’
Government revelations Wednesday that 741 children known to child welfare authorities have died since 1999 prompted mixed reactions from opposition critics, academics and front-line organizations working with families at risk.
Human Service Minister Manmeet Bhullar pledged sweeping reforms, including unprecedented government transparency about child welfare deaths, an improved child-death review system and reconsideration of a provincial publication ban that prevents families from speaking publicly when their children die in provincial care.
Liberal Human Services critic David Swann said it is not enough to study and learn from child deaths — the government must give front-line workers the resources they need to assess risk, follow up and monitor children at risk.
“Some of the front-line workers tell me they don’t hear about any fatalities unless it’s through the media,” Swann said. “It speaks to a culture that is trying to protect itself and hide embarrassment or bad decisions, rather than one that really wants to address its mistakes.”
“They have to be given the emotional support, the resources they need to do the job, and the opportunity to learn from the mistakes that have been made.”
NDP critic Rachel Notley said she has repeatedly asked the government for the figures released Wednesday, and repeatedly been denied.
“This is, no question, a step forward,” Notley said. “But we know that, because of media Freedom of Information requests, this information was going to come out anyway. It is the risk of political embarrassment that is motivating this transparency.”
Wildrose critic Jeff Wilson said he was “shocked and heartbroken” to hear that the real number of children involved with the provincial care system who have died is 596 more than first reported by the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald in November’s Fatal Care series.
“Wildrose continues to believe that nothing short of a full judicial public inquiry will provide us with the answers we are going to need to correct course and fix the system,” Wilson said. “We will continue to advocate for an inquiry and will be watching closely to see what comes of the roundtable discussion, as well as the plan to implement previously ignored recommendations.”