EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Who sits on the residential placement review committee?
Could we have Peter Dudding provide the details?
Mr. Dudding: The residential placement review committee is chaired by headquarters staff so that will be either the aforementioned child welfare specialist or the adult services specialist and our director of client services and operations.
In addition to that, then the appropriate staff depending on which region would include the regional manager, the supervisor, the community social services worker, and where appropriate and where possible, the family members will be involved. And in addition if there are other professionals involved for example from Health or Justice services they would also be invited to participate on the review committee.
I’m just wondering now when you say that the department is involved and when possible the family is involved.
Can you tell me, do you send children away out of territory without the family’s consent?
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
I thank my colleague. The children are sent out for various reasons. Some of them are taken 100 percent by social services and some are just temporarily taken custody of.
When agreements are used then the parents would usually take part.
Ms. Angnakak: I think that is another area that we could get into.
But I would like to go on to what you said about regular visitation. I’m wondering how often does the department travel to see these children that are sent out of territory?
The visitation requirements, the schools are visited and we have our policy that requires that they be visited twice a year each.
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. is that the department staff here that travel down twice a year to visit each of these children?
The relatives of the child or the adult would be the people.
So how often does the department responsible make visitations other than the family?
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): The employees are required to go and review the foster homes. I would like Peter Dudding to answer this.
The practice will vary according to each case and according to Child and Family Services Act standards.
The visitation standards are laid out in our policy, although practice will vary according to whether they’re children or adults.
In addition to that, I’ll also point out that we do have a new position of client liaison, where we do have regular visitation presence in the Ottawa area for our children in care as well.
Can the minister indicate how many times in the last fiscal years clients in foster homes in the south caring for Inuit children were visited?
When foster children go down south, social workers in the north agree amongst each other and under a departmental agreement, we have policies about all of them and we follow the procedures.
The policies that they follow down there are similar to the policies that we have up here, but not all of them are the same as the policies and procedures that we have up here.
I would like Mr. Dudding to supplement my response.
Just to clarify first of all the use of language. We actually do not place children in foster care outside of Nunavut.
The children who are placed outside of Nunavut would be placed in some form of residential care. Just a point of clarification.
Another point of clarification I would make is in reference to an earlier question about under what conditions the children are placed outside of the territory. Actually, two-thirds of the children who are placed outside of the territory are on a voluntary service agreement or arrangement. To be clear about that, it means that that’s an agreement between the department and the parents about the placement of the child outside of the territory.
As I indicated earlier in terms of the… .
I believe the question was could I indicate the number of times.
No, I can’t give you the specific number of times because that would be as varied as the 69 children that we have placed, but certainly, in terms of the schedule the member was interested in terms of a more specific schedule in terms of what the visitation has been, we can provide that.
We spend a lot of money, I think, out of territory to look after some Nunavummiut who have been sent away.
That’s why I wanted to know if we’re really aware of what kind of service they’re getting.
It seems like we’re relying on other people to tell us that they’re doing a good job.
I want to go on to what you said about residential care.
So if that’s not a home where somebody is receiving foster care, what is the difference between the residential care and the group home that we had here in Iqaluit?
Peter Dudding will respond to the question.
The group home here in Iqaluit is a parent model, staff supported group home facility that can provide care for up to eight children.
The parents in the home would have general training and experience in terms of working with children who may present with emotional or behavioural problems.
The programs that we access in the south would be programs we would use in order to meet the special needs of children, be they medical needs, they may also be behavioural needs or emotional/psychological where the expectation is in terms of the staff or the house parents would have specialized training and have access to specialized services and resources in order to meet the needs of those children.
If we go back to the last session when we were discussing the group home and I was voicing my concern about the children being sent down south.
I think the department, through the minister, said the reason why the children are being sent down south is because you don’t want the younger children growing up in that institution. And yet this residential care, to me, seems a bit like an institution. Perhaps even more so because now you don’t have the parent model.
That is concerning to me. Do you feel that the children who were in the group home were not getting the care that they required?
I keep repeating myself about why it was closed.
The question was asked. They were sent to that residential place down there. The question seems to be which is better, between the two.
I would like Peter Dudding to respond to that. I think he knows the pros and cons of the 2.
I’m not sure how to respond to it so I’ll ask Mr. Peter Dudding to respond.
According to the Child and Family Services Act we are required to look at the best interest of each child who comes into the care of the director.
And in doing so, looking at their best interest, ensuring that their emotional, behavioural, developmental, spiritual, and cultural needs are met.
A very careful assessment process is undertaken in each case in order to ensure that we are doing our level best. I should add to that, educational and social needs as well. We do are level best to put in place plans of care to meet the needs of those children.
In doing so, part of the process is one around selecting and doing matching around the most appropriate kind of placement that is available for our children. I would hasten to add that it is very, very important and of primary consideration of all of our staff to ensure that whenever possible children stay within Nunavut and are looked after here and that the decision to leave the territory for a period of time will always be based on the best interests after we are fully satisfied that the kind of resources that are available within Nunavut to meet their needs, whether those resources are available or not.
And if they’re not available then a decision will be made.
I don’t believe I got a reply to my question.
Do you feel the children in the group home were not receiving the type of care that they required?
In response to your question the Department of Family Services stopped keeping kids from there. I know there are still a few people there. They will be there until September.
It is mainly going to be used for younger women. We have received information from the standing committee on family services.
They had concerns about the closing of the group home. It is unfortunate that it had to happen.
I believe Peter Dudding can provide more details.
In answer to the member’s question, I believe that the children who were residing in the group home are receiving very good care and that their needs have been and are being well looked after.
Ms. Angnakak: That was a confusing answer as well.
Maybe somebody else will take it up.
Let me go on now and ask how much of the budget do we spend on foster care in Nunavut?
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.. I would like David Kolot to respond to that if he can come back to the table.
Chairman (interpretation): Sergeant-at-Arms. Can you please escort one witness out and the other back in?
Ms. Angnakak. In regards to Ms. Angnakak’s question, can you please repeat it? Ms. Angnakak.
I’m wondering if the minister could tell us how much of the budget do we spend on foster care in Nunavut?
David Kolot will respond to that.
Mr. Kolot: I’d like to thank the hon. member for that question.
In the budget that the department has prepared we are looking at spending $2,549,000 for foster care within Nunavut.
Can the department tell us how much they spend on foster care outside of Nunavut?
David Kolot will respond.
Mr. Kolot: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the question.
As mentioned by Mr. Dudding, there is not foster care outside of Nunavut. There is residential care for children outside of Nunavut. We are anticipating that we will be spending about $9,944,000 of our budget for residential care for children outside of Nunavut.
Can the minister tell us why we have such a great difference in price between the $2 million and the $9 million and we have a lot more children under care in Nunavut?
For disabled people or people who require 24-hour care, the price changes depending on the level of care.
I’ll have Mr. Kolot elaborate further on that with your permission.
For children outside of Nunavut, the terms and conditions of payment are based on standing offer agreements, which people respond to under requests for proposals. We are bound by those standing offer agreements in terms of placing children outside of Nunavut.
When I commented on the foster care, basically this is money that is related to the food and all the kinds of allowances within Nunavut that we provide, but the residential care is a contract with a provider and it’s driven by the rates that are on the standing offer agreements.
I would like to ask the minister: how much was the budget to run the group home in Iqaluit for the children?
David Kolot will respond to the question.
We will have to get back to the member because we don’t have the information in front of us.
I think now I’m going to go to this question here.
What is the long-term plan for children with disabilities severe enough that families are unable to look after them at home in Nunavut?
Maybe Peter Dudding can go to the witness table.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. Sergeant-at-Arms. Thank you very much.
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): In regard to the question, Peter Dudding will respond.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Mr. Dudding.
Mr. Dudding: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wonder if the member would mind repeating the question. I want to make sure I understand it clearly.
Ms. Angnakak, please repeat your question.
Mr. Dudding: That’s a big question.
It will be as varied at the individual plans because each one of them, and, I am sure that you can appreciate, differ.
Let me say that, generally, the department does support the Nunavut disabilities society. As part of our contributions and grants program and their role is to help develop resources and facilities here in Nunavut.
In addition to that, the department does run a number of programs and services in the territory, adult group homes for example, that provide care to adults with disabilities.
In addition to that, we have been operating, as a pilot project, what is called “the alternative family care program”, which has provided an opportunity for persons with disabilities to be repatriated back to Nunavut in order to live their lives here.
There are several means by which children and families can and do plan to bring their children and have their families reunited back here in Nunavut.
I do not believe my question was answered so I would like to ask it again.
I do not think the Nunavut disability society, “Makinnasuaqtiit” I think they are called, houses can house children that have nowhere else to go.
My question is what is the long-term plan for children with disabilities severe enough so families are unable to look after them at home?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Minister Ugyuk.
My colleague is asking a question in regard to long-term plan for children with severe disabilities. According to my understanding that we have not resolved or made a decision on that.
The Department of Health and my department have to meet together to see if we are going to make any long-term plans in the future.
The group home that is going to be closed usually takes care of disabled children and physically help the children.
I will ask Peter Dudding to supplement my response.
To supplement the response, it would always be one with regard to planning with each one of the families concerned, as I indicated previously, 66 per cent of those families are involved with us on a voluntary basis, and certainly part of the planning is the plan around what can be in place for the child to return to Nunavut.
I should point out that in many cases as the child’s medical needs with regard to their disability are dealt with or addressed in the south that they can and do come home, then the successful partnership, as the minister has indicated, with the Department of Health and with the Department of Education in putting together a plan of care so that the child’s needs are met by all of the services that are required is certainly the kind of work that we do on an everyday basis.
I appreciate your answer.
I think we all know that there is something wrong here and I think the priorities should be trying to, I suppose, get those children back here and to get a facility that can house them again, and to undo what has been done because I do not know of one person that agreed with this move.
I think there is a lot of concern in Nunavut about the move that was made.
I do not know who likes to send kids away. What concerns me is a lot of those children were unable to speak up on their own behalf, and perhaps they were the easiest to send away because you are not going to hear anything back from them.
When I looked at your business plan on page 114, it stated that $3.1 million is to provide adult support services in the areas of counselling and support services to eligible adults with disabilities.
Can you tell us what the eligibility requirements are for this program?
Minister Ugyuk
I did not quite understand the member’s question.
Chairman: Can you restate your question, Ms. Angnakak?
Ms. Angnakak: If you look in your business plan, it talks about providing adult support services, and that’s for adults with disabilities.
What are the eligibility requirement, because it says here “eligible adults with disabilities”.
If you have a disability of sight, can you join? If you have a disability with not being able to hear?
What is it that you need to do to get assistance under this program?
I will have Peter Dudding respond.
The eligibility criteria for those services would be public guardianship; that refers to persons with an intellectual disability to the extent that they are not able to care for or look after themselves, who would be coming into our care under the hospices of the public guardian.
Ms. Angnakak: Ok.
I have a little over two minutes here.
How many community social workers do we have in Nunavut?
I will get Mr. Dudding to respond to that question.
Mr. Dudding: I think it will be more appropriate for Mr. Kolot.
Mr. Kolot: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the hon. member for the question.
I’m going to give you the most current update in terms of the total staff complement for the Children and Family Services division. The majority of those positions will be community social work positions.
Okay, for the Children and Family Services branch, we have 73 positions within the branch. At present, we are at 61 percent capacity within that branch.
I have mentioned that the majority of those positions in Children and Family Services would be CSW positions.
Even though we’re looking at vacancies within that area, we do employ community social service workers on casual appointment.
Being at 61 percent capacity, that means you have some vacancies in some communities. Perhaps some communities don’t have a social worker.
How do you deal with situations in a community when there’s no social worker there on hand to deal with the crises.
I will have Mr. Peter Dudding answer that question.
In those circumstances then, we operate on a regional basis.
Within the region, communities will have a supervisor who will have multiple communities. So, when those arrangements are made on a temporary, the supervisor in the neighbouring community and his or her staff then will be responsible for providing coverage in the community that does not currently have a CSW.
May I ask, then, if there’s a crisis that right now, there’s something happening in the house down the road and there’s children that are in danger, if there’s nobody there, as a department, how do you deal with a situation like that?
If there was a case of that kind, and if there’s no social worker, the RCMP and nurses would be called.
That’s the way it has been, but if Mr. Dudding has another situation, he can give us an answer.
Thank you.  Mr. Dudding: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
In those circumstances then, we operate on a
The minister is correct from experience, I’ve nothing to add to that.
One of the things, since I’ve been in the House and talking about children in foster care and group homes, I’ve had a lot of people from different communities write to me about their own situations. I’ve feeling that people feel they don’t have anybody to talk to, so I guess because I’ve been bringing this up, I’ve been sort of the one that people are coming to.
One of the things that I hear all the time from foster parents in communities that they feel that they don’t have enough support from the department.
Some examples were given to me like when you need to take a foster child to the dentist and you have to go to work, I mean just things like that.
What kind of support is there for foster parents? I am not just talking about financial support, but support in the house to help families deal with the extra load.
We have a policy at the Department of Family Services; what we do is they try to get some help from social workers.
If they do not approach the social workers, they would not get any help.
I understand that that is what they are supposed to be doing, but when they do not do it what is one to do? How does the family get support when they are not receiving it? What is the process?
The foster parents can go to the social service supervisors, and if they need more help they can go to the director.
If nothing happens, there are regional directors that can be approached. That is the way it goes.
Probably my last question seeing I am at 27 seconds.
Being a social worker is probably one of the hardest positions to hold. I can just imagine. With that in mind, what kind of support does the department offer its social workers to do their jobs?
I will get Mr. Dudding to respond to the question because he is a director.
It is a hard job and we are keenly aware in terms of how important it is to support our staff and our foster parents.
In order to do so, making sure that, in the first instance, our supervisors are well-trained and have the kind of training and support that they need in order to work with their social work staff and their team is critically important.
In addition to that, the department has done a great deal of work over the last year in particular, but certainly in times before, in ensuring that we have a regular training calendar in place for our staff. We have revised our statutory and core training for staff.
We have updated and now have in place a wide range of available training materials online for our staff in terms of a whole range of different area of skill they need in order to do their job, and they are regularly meeting with their supervisors and with their regional managers as teams.
We often hear about social workers having burned out; you have a big turnover rate. I think we have no social workers in Iqaluit that speak Inuktitut, and I think that is a real concern.
Do you feel that the reason there is such a turnaround for social workers because of burnout?
I could take an online course, but do I have time do that if I am a social worker?
Do you know what I am getting at here? What are the uplifting parts that you do for social workers so that they could do their job?
That was my last question.
In April 2013, when Family Services became a separate department we wanted to be able to continue with our work.
It’s good that there is a course in Cambridge Bay for social workers.
The first year students, when they finished, I was there. There are others that are in the third year of their program.
They can speak Inuktitut and they want to have Inuit people in their own language. When we became Family Services in… at that time we wanted to be able to have Inuktitut speaking social workers.
That is what we want to do in the future is to train more social workers that speak Inuktitut.
I will get Peter Dudding to add to that answer.
It does take a very special commitment on the part of our staff and fortunately in terms of the support they also provide to each other which I neglected to mention.
It is probably one of the most critical areas.
We are very fortunate in terms of having a very committed core group of staff here in Nunavut who have actually quite a long period of service here in the north.
It’s very important both in terms of their understanding of the culture and the communities that they work in.
As the member rightly pointed out we also then have a fairly high turnover in terms of people who come and go.
As the minister has rightly pointed out that the goal in terms of having a workforce that is reflective of the population that we serve.
That is to have more Inuit and Inuktitut speaking social workers is not only our legal obligation under Article 23 but it is good social work practice and good for families. That is clearly the direction the department is going in.
According to the names that I have, Mr. Enook.
First of all, Mr. Chairman, thank you for your ruling in relation to my point of order yesterday.
The minister has stated something about group homes and the time for it is now passed.
However, I did not come here as an Member of the Legislative Assembly to just let things pass and be forgotten because I have… the government’s departments we always believe that we are always expect departments to be looking for better, more positive things.
However, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask about the situation that is no longer in effect so to speak.
In order for my question to be clear and so that I can make sense of the answers if the minister could provide me with a clear and concise in answer.
We in Nunavut would like to know, there used to be a foster home for a very long time. Can you enlighten me as to why that centre closed and how can the closing of that centre. Is it good for the parents who lost that home?
The children who were there, we thought that for their welfare, it would be preferable to close what is said to be closed. It is now being used by youth.
At the Department of Family Services, we also know that services must be provided for the youth.
For that reason, there has been a focus.
There used to be six, three were sent south and three were sent back home or foster homes or two foster homes.
That is the way I could answer that.
I hope, once in a while, if you could agree with me that we are only talking about what used to be a group home.
We know that it’s now directed for a different purpose.
I’m trying to ask what was used to be.