FSIN plans August update on child welfare plans
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations hopes to present its members with an updated plan next month on how child welfare laws and programs could work on Saskatchewan First Nations.
“It’s a lot of work,” says Vice Chief David Pratt.
“It’s not going to happen overnight. But we do want to make sure it’s done properly and thoroughly and adequately, and that it’s able to meet the needs of our children in care,” he added. “We don’t want to be set up for failure and so we can’t rush into this. We want to make sure that it’s done properly.”
Pratt’s comments come a day after National Chief Perry Bellegarde of the Assembly of First Nations and Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller signed a protocol agreement, which marks the next step in implementing Bill C-92.
The bill, which allows Indigenous organizations and governments to develop their own child-welfare laws and programs in agreements reached with the federal government, passed last year and took effect Jan. 1.
The protocol agreement signed this week outlines how some of those discussions will happen, including regular meetings between Ottawa and Indigenous governments.
At present, Indigenous children are in the care of provincial social services agencies.
Pratt says he suspects some government officials are “anxious” about the impending shakeup to the status quo and says he thinks a fulsome plan will ease those feelings.
“If we can get a clear plan in place, which is what we’re developing right now, a clear pathway forward, everyone will know their roles and responsibilities,” he said.
The plan, when completed, could be adopted partly or wholly by FSIN member nations.
Janice Colquhoun, the Indigenous services executive director of child and family programs with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services, told Postmedia this week that the province appreciates the initiative of Saskatchewan’s First Nations on working on a plan and looks forward to discussions about what the future of child welfare could look like.
“Our focus will be on how we can work together well to ensure a smooth and safe transition,” she said in a statement. “As a current provider of child welfare services, the Government of Saskatchewan is a participant in this process, and not the lead.”
Pratt says that before any plan will be implemented, the FSIN needs to have conversations with federal and provincial governments about the need for adequate and guaranteed funding.