Frustrated foster caregivers, continuing their call for swift government action to fix a failing and SA国际影视传媒渂rokenSA国际影视传媒� child welfare system, brought their concerns straight to Premier Caroline Cochrane Monday night.

Half-a-dozen foster parents sat down with Cochrane at a Range Lake constituency meeting hosted by the premier at Tim Hortons.

The meeting was open to questions and concerns from all constituents. But ongoing oversight and accountability issues plaguing the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 beleaguered child and family services system SA国际影视传媒� detailed to media in recent weeks by exhausted and SA国际影视传媒渦nsupportedSA国际影视传媒� caregivers SA国际影视传媒� dominated the eveningSA国际影视传媒檚 discourse.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen a house burns down, do you start rebuilding from the roof? No, you start at the very bottom. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 not happening here,SA国际影视传媒� an exasperated foster parent told Cochrane, alluding to attempts from the Department of Health and Social Services to improve its child services division in the wake of a damning 2018 federal audit.

Boost support for youth aging out of system, say caregivers

Caregivers, joined by Foster Family Coalition of the NWT executive director Tammy Roberts, raised a number of issues with Cochrane, from a lack of access to critical trauma counselling for children in care to a need to better support for youth who are aging out of the system.

These concerns and more were outlined in a 27-page letter, accompanied by a host of recommendations, sent to Health and Social Services Minister Diane Thom late last year. After initially replying with an ill-received, four-line response, Thom agreed to sit down with coalition board members Jan. 30.

Challenging a recent report from the department touting progress since the audit, several foster caregivers told Yellowknifer improvements on a ground level havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been made SA国际影视传媒� child services workers still arenSA国际影视传媒檛 returning emails; parents continue to take in children without receiving basic health information beforehand; limitations to trauma counselling persist and support is scarce and children remain at risk.

As premier, Cochrane said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 emphasized to MLAs the importance of working with community members. For newly-appointed Health Minister Diane Thom, that means listening to the concerns of foster caregivers on a regular basis, Cochrane said.

SA国际影视传媒淭ell us what you want to see in the next four years,SA国际影视传媒� she said, urging foster caregivers to present concise and SA国际影视传媒渃oncreteSA国际影视传媒� priorities to Thom when both sides meet on Thursday.

SA国际影视传媒淚 canSA国际影视传媒檛 change the world in a day,SA国际影视传媒� said Cochrane, who has a background in social work.

SA国际影视传媒淚t would be inappropriate for us a government to say we have all the answers. We donSA国际影视传媒檛.SA国际影视传媒�

Asked by a foster parent whether or not new funding for the health departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 child and family services division over the next few years, Cochrane wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 exactly optimistic.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 not a lot of money out there,SA国际影视传媒� the premier replied, citing the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 waning mining industry and a gloomy 10-year economic outlook.

One caregiver in attendance challenged Cochrane.

SA国际影视传媒淚 get the economy is bad, but money has to be moved around because itSA国际影视传媒檚 kids. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 vulnerable kids. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e putting kids at risk,SA国际影视传媒� they said.

Cochrane said some SA国际影视传媒渢oughSA国际影视传媒� funding choices will have to be made when MLAs sit down to determine how resources are best allocated.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to say where the money will go,SA国际影视传媒� Cochrane later told Yelllowknifer. SA国际影视传媒淭he next step for ministers will be sitting down together to decide where best to put the funding so that we can meet our mandate commitments.SA国际影视传媒�

Child welfare woes wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be solved in next four years: Premier

Cochrane said her biggest takeaway from MondaySA国际影视传媒檚 meeting was that foster caregivers SA国际影视传媒渨ant to be heard.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭hey want to develop a positive relationship with our government and actually have a voice in whatSA国际影视传媒檚 happening,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

While Cochrane said Thom is actively engaging with the coalition, she stressed that fundamental changes to the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 welfare system wonSA国际影视传媒檛 happen overnight.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e not going to solve world peace in four years,SA国际影视传媒� Cochrane told Yellowknifer. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e not going to get all the children in care provided proper services in four years. I just know that.SA国际影视传媒�

Facing an uphill battle, Cochrane said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 going to push to have meetings between the minister - or department officials - and foster families or the coalition every six months.

A foster caregiver in attendance Monday evening, who asked not to be identified, said she welcomes the idea.

SA国际影视传媒淭hen the ideas will be new and the complaints will be fresh; (the department) wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be able to say they donSA国际影视传媒檛 know whatSA国际影视传媒檚 going on,SA国际影视传媒� she said. The caregiver said the move would mark a significant departure from the last governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渙ld boySA国际影视传媒檚 club,SA国际影视传媒� where complaints and requests for meetings often fell on deaf ears.

Asked what she gained from MondaySA国际影视传媒檚 meeting, the woman replied SA国际影视传媒渉ope.SA国际影视传媒�

(Cochrane) is telling us the way it is. She needs solutions, she needs help and sheSA国际影视传媒檚 willing to listen. We never had that.SA国际影视传媒�

The caregiver is now more optimistic heading into this weekSA国际影视传媒檚 meeting with Thom.

SA国际影视传媒淚 feel like I can say what I need to say and not be persecuted.SA国际影视传媒�