Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

End child apprehensions

Recommendation 115: End the apprehension of Indigenous children due to poverty or Eurocentric ideas of neglect that stem from a legacy of colonization. Poverty must not be conflated with neglect or mistreatment, and removing children from their families exacerbates cycles of trauma and poverty.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 119: Making funds available for non-Indigenous foster care services but not for supporting Indigenous families perpetuates the detrimental cycle of apprehension. Increase available supports and preventative services for mothers and families.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 120: Ensure families are able to maintain an adequate standard of living by raising income assistance and disability rates, ensuring safe and affordable housing, and guaranteeing food and transit allowances.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 121: Increase financial amounts provided to caregivers under MCFD’s Home of a Relative program.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 122: Guarantee free and culturally appropriate child care and early childhood education for all children on and off reserve, with adequate staffing ratios and support for children with special needs.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 123: Guarantee free individualized support such as culturally appropriate parenting programs; detox on demand; and counselling for mothers with mental health diagnoses, learning disabilities, drug use dependence, and who are survivors of domestic violence.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 125: Social workers must increase communication with families about what is being investigated, clear timelines and goals, and file status.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 126: Frequent family visits and family reunification must always be the top priority and never delayed due to MCFD’s own bureaucratic inefficiencies. Social workers must not be allowed to cancel family visits without written authorization from the Director.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 127: Increase the number of culturally appropriate family liaison workers and parenting supports.

Recommendations to keep Indigenous families together in the DTES

Support Indigenous families

Recommendation 128: Implement existing recommendations by the Fostering Change Initiative and First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition. In particular:

1. Remove eligibility restrictions and increase financial and other supports for youth and young people on Youth Agreements and Agreements with Young Adults. Agreements with Young Adults should be increased to at least $1400 per month with no clawbacks.
2. Remove the maximum number of months during which young people are eligible to remain on Agreements with Young Adults.
3. Extend the age till 25 years old for how long MCFD should support young people as they transition into adulthood and continue to receive housing, food, transit, cultural, and other financial supports.
4. Remove the age limit to be eligible for free postsecondary tuition and eliminate the requirement of months in care to be eligible for free postsecondary tuition.