Children’s aid societies seek mandatory inquests after child welfare deaths
The Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies has added its voice to a list of organizations calling for coroner’s inquests into all deaths of youths in the child welfare system.
In recent months, there have been a handful of deaths in foster homes in Ontario, including those of two indigenous teens in Ottawa group homes last month. Amy Owen, 13, was found hanging in her room at an Ottawa group home on April 17. Four days later, on April 21, Courtney Scott, 16, died in a fire in her group home in Orléans. Both teens were from remote First Nations communities in northern Ontario.
First Nations organizations, including chiefs and the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, have called for coroner’s inquests into deaths of youths in the residential care system, as has Irwin Elman, the provincial advocate for children.
On Monday, the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies supported those calls, adding that children from northern indigenous communities who are brought south because mental health and other treatment resources are not available “are not well-served by the current residential care system.”
“The recent deaths of youth living in group homes in Ontario have deeply shaken the child welfare sector. We recognize our responsibility to take whatever action we can to prevent similar tragedies in the future. We must move past discussion and recommendations and into action.”
The OACAS said it supports mandatory inquests in these cases, in part, because there are “multiple systems involved in these tragedies and the need for a full understanding of prevention strategies that need to be implemented.”
The association submitted its concerns about the residential care system to the province more than a year ago as part of a review. It especially raised concerns about access to quality and relevant care for indigenous youths. The association is advocating for services for indigenous youths to be made available closer to home.
“We are asking the government to expedite the implementation of the recommendations of the review panel and we will not wait to begin to make the required changes. The situation for children and youth is too urgent.
“These recent deaths have again highlighted the challenges faced by indigenous children and youth in Ontario, particularly those from northern communities.”
Louise McNaughton-Fillion, regional supervising coroner for Eastern Ontario, said Monday it could be some time before the investigation into Scott’s death is complete. The investigation into the death and fire involve police, the Fire Marshal’s office, the children’s aid society and the coroner’s office.
“Everybody is giving this a high priority, but it is a complicated case.”
Results of the investigation are not necessarily made public, although recommendations could be made public. The victim’s family may request the investigation report.
Under current law, whether an inquest — a public hearing into a death — is held is at the discretion of the coroner. The decision is based on the investigation into the death and whether, as a result, the coroner is “of the opinion that an inquest ought to be held, taking into account the following factors: whether the answers to the five questions are known, whether it is desirable for the public to have an open and full hearing of the circumstances of the death, and whether the jury could make recommendations to prevent other deaths in similar circumstances,” according to the office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth.
The questions asked at every inquest are: Who was the deceased? When did the death occur? Where did the death occur? How did the death occur? and By what means did the death occur?
The recent deaths of youth living in group homes in Ontario have deeply shaken the child welfare sector.