New Ministry For Child Youth and Family Services

I like the idea of a new ministry for children and families in Newfoundland and Labrador, provided it will work much like other provinces in the country that has set up the same. However at this point I am quite skeptical where the question remains, while a new provincial ministry will exist at in legislature, will it be established with regional offices, independent from other service blocks?

It remains to be seen how the ministry will deliver the services of CYFS, and through which umbrella or portal. In other words, if this ministry is on paper only, but still serviced by Health Authorities across the province, children and families will be no better off, and will have already lost.

At the very least, this office should be set up in conjunction with the HRLE provincial map zones, with regional and district offices for CYFS in the same HRLE zones, but not utilizing same management, staff or resources.

In 1998, the CYFS portfolio was devolved from HRLE to each Regional Health Authority, Eastern Health, Central Health, Western Health and Labrador Health. These authorities then attempt to manage the actual mandate of and work being done with children and families by CYFS.

So while a new provincial ministry will be created, does it necessarily mean that the responsibility for the actual services they provide be their own? Will there be a new full body created, with separate directors, managers, social workers etc. If not, a ministry will be pointless. Let us not forget, Wiseman has stated to the media over and over, we as a department rarely interfere with decisions made by our Health Authorities!

Ministers come and go. Its the Culture of Child Welfare that must change and this means a change or addition of independant directors, managers and professionals trained in the field.


Brudder