The NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 health minister says sheSA国际影视传媒檚 committed to taking SA国际影视传媒渋mmediate actionSA国际影视传媒� to confront serious, ongoing shortfalls in the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 troubled child and family services division after foster caregivers and adoptive parents recently slammed a SA国际影视传媒渇ailing,SA国际影视传媒� system in "crisis" they say continues to put vulnerable kids at risk.

Concrete details on how that will be accomplished, however, remain scarce.

In what she calls the SA国际影视传媒渇irst stepSA国际影视传媒� in addressing the wide-ranging concerns and frustrations of foster families and adoptive in the territory SA国际影视传媒� detailed in interviews with News/North earlier this month SA国际影视传媒� newly-appointed Health and Social Services Minister Diane Thom will sit down with board members of the Foster Family Coalition of the NWT on Jan. 30.

The planned meeting, described by coalition executive director Tammy Roberts as a SA国际影视传媒渓ong
overdue,SA国际影视传媒� last ditch effort to have the voices of SA国际影视传媒渆xhausted,SA国际影视传媒� unsupported and fed-up caregivers heard, comes on the heels of a scathing 27-page letter, accompanied by a host of recommendations, sent to the minister by the coalition.

Thom agreed to hear their concerns after serious grievances were aired to media.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is not good,SA国际影视传媒� Thom told News/North in an interview Jan. 23, referencing the major shortcomings outlined by foster caregivers in the letter.

News/North recently sat down with several care providers who, sharing shocking stories of mistreatment and miscommunication, lamented prevailing gaps in oversight, accountability and support from Child and Family Services. Foster parents said theySA国际影视传媒檇 taken in apprehended children without being told they were carrying contagious infections. Others said they had faced verbal abuse, lies and harassment from child protection employees and social workers.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 very concerned about some of the issues raised in the letter,SA国际影视传媒� said Thom.

SA国际影视传媒淔oster families have a right to voice their frustrations, especially if their needs arenSA国际影视传媒檛 being met,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淲e need to take some actions and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what we hope to accomplish (at the meeting).SA国际影视传媒�

Thom said her current focus is SA国际影视传媒渞ebuildingSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渞e-establishingSA国际影视传媒� the health departmentSA国际影视传媒檚 relationship with the foster family coalition.

Following the meeting slated for later this month, Thom said she plans on turning the concerns into SA国际影视传媒渋mmediate action.SA国际影视传媒�

In December, the Department of Health and Social Services released a report touting improvements made to the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 Child and Family Services division, citing the completion of 23 out of 70 SA国际影视传媒渁ction items.SA国际影视传媒� Rejecting assertions that progress had been made, foster parents later said if any improvements had been accomplished since 2018 - when CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 auditor general released a scathing audit into the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 worsening child welfare system - they certainly werenSA国际影视传媒檛 seeing it on the ground level.

As minister, Thom told SA国际影视传媒 she has SA国际影视传媒渄irected a special focus to be put on addressing and improving things on the ground.SA国际影视传媒�

Asked what those ground level directives are, Thom provided few details, but said she wants to hear about SA国际影视传媒渢raining, respite care and reimbursementSA国际影视传媒� - pressing issues highlighted by caregivers in the coalition's letter - at the Jan. 30 meeting.

While emphasizing that sheSA国际影视传媒檚 committed to tackling problems that continue to plague the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 child welfare system, Thom said improvements wonSA国际影视传媒檛 happen overnight.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is going to take time,SA国际影视传媒� the minister said.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur department has a lot of work to do.SA国际影视传媒�

Meanwhile, coalition head Roberts remains hopeful that the end-of-the-month meeting will usher in real change.