Committee tackles child welfare

Page R7

In the fall of 1992, an inquest into the suicide of a 14-year-old on a Manitoba reserve lead to a scathing report on inadequacies of child welfare agencies, both Native and provincial.

The Manitoba Task Force on Aboriginal Child Welfare wants to remedy the situation.

"We want to establish an action plan, not be just another study," said Dr. Wally Fox-Decent. The task force chairperson has travelled with five other committee members to six of the 13 reserves slated for public hearings. They have also visited institutions such as youth detention centres and homes for single mothers.

The committee will also hold public hearings in Winnipeg and Brandon to enable urban Aboriginals to speak with the task force.

"Our mandate is to look at First Nations concerns, whether they are on or off reserve," said Fox-Decent.

Fox-Decent agrees with Native counsellors that more attention should be given to preventive programs.

"There's always money for foster homes and counselling post-fact," he said. "But money for dealing with situations where the abuse is discovered seems to be lacking. All too often the process becomes yanking the child from the home. How much more useful would it be to start at the other end and think in terms of prevention?"

The task force will be releasing an interim report this month on its findings and recommendations. Their mandate ends in September and a second, final report will be issued.