Ministry scrutinizes youth facility after care worker assaulted

The children’s services ministry has placed a conditional status on the licence of a youth-care facility after a 60-year-old worker was seriously injured in an assault.

“This means that the department will have an expanded role in staff ratios, that the agency will not be taking any additional placements, and that day-to-day decisions will be made in much closer consultation with the department,” spokesman Aaron Manton said in a statement Thursday of the Elk Island Youth and Child Ranch in Lamont.

Two teenage boys were charged with the attempted murder of a care worker after an attack at the facility Saturday.

“While we are continuing to review the facility internally, and Occupational Heath and Safety will continue to investigate, changes have been made to protect both youth and staff at the facility,” Manton said.

Earlier Thursday, Children’s Services Minister Danielle Larivee said revoking the ranch’s licence was still on the table. She confirmed one of the youths charged in the weekend assault has a history of violence at the facility. He pleaded guilty Wednesday in Fort Saskatchewan court to three earlier assaults in October and January.

Larivee is reviewing how the province delegates contracts.

“It is something we need to look closely at, and make sure we have the right balance between working with agencies to provide care to children and make sure they have the accountability and are taking responsibility,” she said.

Speaking with reporters during a break at Thursday’s child intervention panel hearing, Larivee said there is still a lot of information to nail down after the attack, because the relationship with a contracted facility is “a little more grey” than in-house services.

“What I need to know is if there’s an acute issue or threat right now for staff or children,” she said. “I’m going to know that right away, and we’ll take action on that.”

Lamont Mayor Bill Skinner said the town is in disbelief.

“This particular incident, with a such a high level of violence, has left us with shock,” said Skinner.

He said there has been an outpouring of support.

“She has many surgeries ahead of her ... At this point she’s stable,” he said, adding that her family is in anguish.

“Right now, the focus is on making sure she gets the best care.”

He noted the town hasn’t had concerns about the youth ranch, which is “very much self-contained.”

Lamont is 60 kilometres east of Edmonton.