235 search results for
Housing and homelessness
Recommendation 13:
The incarceration of one parent often results in various forms of hardship for the rest of the family, particularly the children. Imprisonment disrupts positive, nurturing relationships between many parents—particularly mothers who are often the sole or primary caregiver—and their children. Children and their families suffer economic strain and instability when a parent is imprisoned. Family members are not guilty of anything. All agencies and services involved with the families should try to mitigate the impact on family members at all stages of the criminal justice system, ensuretheir rights are upheld, and ensure they are not discriminated against because of the actions of their family member. Supporting the families and strengthening the children’s positive family connections are necessary to ensure a healthy child development. Different forms of support are needed.
- Encourage the various agencies and services involved with the children to work towards positive family outcomes and to adopt consistent practices in the support of families and positive life outcomes for the children.
- Ensure that families understand the criminal justice process and are aware of the supports available.
- Provide information to families and ensure that the information provided is timely and accurate.
- Encourage and support parents and caregivers to explain procedures, decisions and the truth of the situation to children in an age appropriate manner.
- Ensure that families have access to information and assistance on a range of issues such as housing, benefits and finances, legal issues, health, or childcare.
- Facilitate appropriate contacts between family members and the incarcerated parent.
- Provide guidance to agencies dealing with families of parents in conflict with the law.
- Conduct family impact assessments when new policies and practices are developed that may affect the families of people in conflict with the law.
- Keep incarcerated parents informed about the situation and well-being of their children and other family members, and support them in managing family concerns as appropriate.
Enhancing the Protective Environment for Children of Parents in Conflict with the Law or Incarcerated: A Framework for Action
Group/author:
Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, University of the Fraser Valley – School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy, University of the Fraser Valley – School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Year:
2018
2018
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Recommendation 40:
The federal government must guarantee:
- Access to clean drinking water; food security based on a traditional diet; critical infrastructure including roads and sanitation systems; and essential health, education, child care, housing, transport, recreational, cultural, and emergency services on every reserve.
- Safe, affordable, and livable housing for every woman on her reserve that is independent of her matrimonial status.
- Affordable child care and licensed day care options on every reserve.
- Complete complement of maternal and infant/child health services on reserve to enable women to remain closer to home to give birth.
- Free public transportation between each town and city located along the entire length of Highway 16 and all other highways, with a number of safe homes and emergency phone booths along the length of all the highways.
- Increase funding on all reserves for programs and services that strengthen traditional and cultural knowledge grounded in Indigenous laws, values, and practices.
- Range of anti-violence services including preventive programs, crisis intervention, victim services, advocacy support, restorative justice circles, shelters, transitional housing, and second-stage housing on every reserve.
- Cultural sensitivity training for all first responders such as police, healthcare professionals, and social workers who assist survivors of violence on reserve.
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Category and theme:
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Culture and language ,
- Decolonization and Indigenous rights ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Emergency response ,
- Gender-based violence ,
- Health ,
- Health, wellness and services ,
- Housing and homelessness ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Pre-natal care ,
- Public services ,
- Sexism
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Recommendation 8:
The City of Vancouver should develop a policy on the confiscation of belongings by City Engineering Workers and police which recognizes the fundamental harms caused by the confiscation of belongings from people who rely on public space. The City should instruct its employees to end the confiscation of the belongings of people who rely on public space, especially necessities of life such as shelter, clothing, medication, and important personal items. When City staff must confiscate personal belongings, the City must provide at least 24 hours of advance notice, and when confiscation is justified, direct staff to issue receipts for belongings and cash, details on retrieval, and clear instructions on how people can get their property back. Any confiscated belongings must be stored in an accessible location within the DTES that people can easily attend.
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Recommendation 21:
The BC Human Rights Commission to prioritize stigma-auditing areas of law and policy that most directly impact highly stigmatized populations including sex workers in areas such as:
- Public space governance,
- Income assistance and disability policy,
- Housing policy and residential tenancy law,
- Child welfare law and policy,
- Policing law and policy,
- Health policy related to mental health and substance use,
- Privacy law as it relates to people who live in public spaces and people who are criminalized as a result of poverty and substance use.
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Category and theme:
- Ableism ,
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Economic inequality ,
- Gender-based violence ,
- Health ,
- Housing and homelessness ,
- Income insecurity and benefits ,
- Mental health and detention ,
- Other ,
- Policing ,
- Policing and the criminal justice system ,
- Poverty ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Privacy ,
- Public services ,
- Sexism ,
- Tenancy rights ,
- Workers’ rights
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Recommendation 21:
The BC government and MCFD should work with Indigenous communities to fund and develop comprehensive services for families that are experiencing violence including services for abusive men and services for the entire family. These services should address intersecting needs including historical trauma, parenting skills, and substance use.
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Category and theme:
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Decolonization and Indigenous rights ,
- Disability and parenting ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Gender-based violence ,
- Health ,
- Health, wellness and services ,
- Housing and homelessness ,
- Indigenous children and youth in care ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Public services ,
- Substance use
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Recommendation 20:
The BC government and MCFD must fund and resource supportive housing alternatives where parents and children who are at risk of harm can live. These homes should be specifically qualified to address complex family circumstances. Creative housing solutions where caregivers and children can stay together while receiving wrap-around support are especially needed in remote areas.
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Recommendation 6:
The Attorney General should create a legal means to consider tenancy and anti-discrimination rights under the BC Human Rights Code when they are raised before the Residential Tenancy Branch. This could include a process for the BC Human Rights Tribunal to issue interim orders once a human rights complaint has been filed and amendments to the Residential Tenancy Act that allow for an interim delay in a residential tenancy dispute when such an interim order has been issued.
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Category and theme:
- Ableism ,
- Access to justice ,
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Additions to the B.C. Human Rights Code ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Economic inequality ,
- Health ,
- Housing and homelessness ,
- Human rights system ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Public services ,
- Substance use ,
- Tenancy rights
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Recommendation 89:
The Definition of Indigenous homelessness in Canada should form the basis of all policies on Housing and homelessness with appropriate solutions to homelessness that integrates land, culture, belonging, and kinship networks.
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Recommendation 42:
Take concrete steps toward meeting Canada’s international obligation to respect the right to adequate housing and to respect the spirit of section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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Recommendation 18:
Systemic neighbourhood environmental issues
To address safety concerns expressed by interviewees, there are several larger structural solutions such as increasing the number of safe and affordable housing units, access to health-focused treatment, and equitable employment opportunities. One short-term measure could be to install lighting on streets and in alleyways to help people feel safe during evenings and at night.
In the interim, reducing criminalization and stigmatization of community members would alleviate further social divides. Instead, we recommend an approach that allows them to thrive that takes an inclusive approach to housing, employment, social security, and access (services, food, other), which would require cooperative action by all levels of government and stakeholders.
Ultimately, a systems change approach would need to be applied to adequately address the root causes of these issues. As noted in the Resilient Vancouver Phase One Engagement Report (2018), many of these issues are interrelated and solutions need to involve multiple city departments, all levels of government, and other stakeholders.
To address safety concerns expressed by interviewees, there are several larger structural solutions such as increasing the number of safe and affordable housing units, access to health-focused treatment, and equitable employment opportunities. One short-term measure could be to install lighting on streets and in alleyways to help people feel safe during evenings and at night.
In the interim, reducing criminalization and stigmatization of community members would alleviate further social divides. Instead, we recommend an approach that allows them to thrive that takes an inclusive approach to housing, employment, social security, and access (services, food, other), which would require cooperative action by all levels of government and stakeholders.
Ultimately, a systems change approach would need to be applied to adequately address the root causes of these issues. As noted in the Resilient Vancouver Phase One Engagement Report (2018), many of these issues are interrelated and solutions need to involve multiple city departments, all levels of government, and other stakeholders.
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Category and theme:
- Accessibility ,
- Accessible services and technology ,
- Alternative solutions ,
- Classism ,
- Discrimination and hate ,
- Food insecurity ,
- Health ,
- Housing and homelessness ,
- Income insecurity and benefits ,
- Mental health and detention ,
- Policing and the criminal justice system ,
- Poverty ,
- Poverty and economic inequality ,
- Public services ,
- Racism ,
- Substance use
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