Sask. Advocate report raises concerns about services for infant in care
- Jeanelle Mandes | November 03, 2016
The latest report released by the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth raises concerns about how the Saskatoon Tribal Council met policy standards in a specific case regarding an infant and how STC and the province worked together.
The report, called Duty to Protect, was released in October and is based on an investigation into the death of a two-and-a-half month old child whose life ended sadly on October 25th of 2015. The little boy, who the Saskatchewan Advocacy called ‘Aiden’ to protect the identity, died from bronchopneumonia in his home. Aiden and his twin sister were born prematurely and he was admitted to the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit following his birth.
The investigative report states that, “ was released with no medical concerns, apart from vulnerabilities related to being a premature newborn.”
Aiden and his twin sister were the youngest out of nine siblings and resided on the reserve. The twin’s parents were involved with the child welfare system for a few years now, and according to the report, “the children were placed in care…a number of times from 2003 to 2013 due to concerns of domestic violence, substance misuse, home hygiene, and use of inappropriate caregivers and a lack of supervision of the children.”
Bob Pringle, the Saskatchewan Advocate for Children and Youth, says their job was to look at what happened in the child’s perspective and found five major findings. One of their findings is how the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) Health and Family Services, as the report refers as “the Agency”, documentation did not meet policy standards, which had a negative impact on services provided to Aiden and his family.
“This was the most difficult study we’ve had, and we have done investigations on other agencies, and I would describe the Saskatoon Tribal Council Health and Family Services as very selective and giving us qualified, reluctant cooperation at best,” he says. “Very publicly, [STC Chief Felix Thomas] denied that they had any involvement…this child died under their watch.”
Pringle says they are not making any accusations against the agency but the documentation and information they received was very selective and states the only thing they can do is raise the issue of missing information to their questions.
In response to the report, STC Chief Felix released a statement that Aiden was not in their care. “Our only comment is that the dispute between STC and [Ministry of Social Services] is over the proper termination of an Agreement between the Parties. This is in the public record and anything else is speculation or opinion. We will not comment further on matters currently before the courts.”
Related:
- STC accepts Cout of Queen's Bench ruling
- STC and province enter into dispute over child welfare files
- Opinion: Tribal Chief says STC won't let province take over First Nations children in care
A few of the report’s recommendations are that “any time risk to children is identified; the following provincial policy and procedures are adhered to, with the support of the Ministry of Social Services, develop and implement training.”
To read the full Duty to Protect investigative report, please refer to here.