The GNWT has published its annual report on Child and Family Services (CFS), revealing some positive trends and other areas where improvement is clearly needed.
The report, released on Oct. 21, summarizes services delivered between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, including adoption services, family preservation, prevention supports and protection services.
The document revealed that 76 per cent of children and youth receiving prevention and/or protection services remained in the home of their family of origin, which is down from 77 per cent last year, but up from 75 per cent for 2021-2022.
As for Indigenous children and youth specifically, 61 per cent of those requiring support outside their home were placed with an Indigenous caregiver, which reflects the GNWT's efforts "to maintain cultural and familial ties." That's down slightly from 62 per cent from last year, but still an improvement from earlier years.
Similarly, there were more NWT children and youth accompanied by their families while receiving specialized services outside the territory, compared to those participating in individual or group treatment programs while their family remains in the NWT, which "supports cultural continuity," by "keeping families together, strengthening their bonds and preserving cultural and community connections, which is essential to making the CFS system more culturally safe," the report reads.
While the analyses identified some promising trends, it also highlighted several areas of concern, most notably the over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in the CFS system. While 58 per cent of the children and youth in the NWT are Indigenous, Indigenous children accounted for 99 per cent of those receiving CFS services.
The report also noted that the CFS workforce is facing a 24.7 per cent vacancy rate, and that only 28 per cent of staff identified as Indigenous.
CFS aims to address these issues by shifting towards a culturally-safe system, in part by following the Child, Youth and Family Strategic Direction and Action Plan released in October 2023.
Some progress is already being made to that end, according to an Oct. 21 GNWT news release, as the territorial government has been "piloting youth cultural wellness camps, increasing foster care rates and adoption subsidies, and launching initiatives to redesign care models rooted in Indigenous practices."
SA国际影视传媒淭he progress outlined in this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 annual report reflects our dedication to creating a system that not only addresses immediate needs, but also builds stronger, culturally connected futures for our children and youth," said Health and Social Services Minister Lesa Semmler. "Through the strategic direction and action plan, we are taking significant steps to ensure that every child and family in the NWT have the support they need to thrive."
Through 2023-2024, 1,067 children and youth received either prevention and/or protection services through CFS.
