NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 2002MCF0024-000889 Oct. 21, 2002		Ministry of Children and Family Development
LEGISLATION STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES, EMPOWERS FAMILIES

VICTORIA – B.C. communities will have more authority and flexibility to support and protect vulnerable children, youth and families through new legislation being introduced today, said Gordon Hogg, Minister of Children and Family Development.

 

            “The old social services delivery system was centralized, rigid and unresponsive,” Hogg said.  “British Columbia had a far higher percentage of children in care than the national average when we took office. The number of children in care had grown by 60 per cent from 1994 to 2001. 

           

            “We need innovative solutions that come from the communities affected by the decisions,” Hogg added.  “This legislation will allow reform to be driven at the community level, including aboriginal communities, where services can be tailored to local strengths and needs.”

 

            The Community Services Interim Authorities Act will allow the minister to create five aboriginal authorities, five interim regional governance authorities and an interim provincial community living authority.  

 

            The act builds on the Sept. 9 memorandum of understanding signed by the province and B.C. aboriginal leaders, in which the province committed to working with First Nations to provide them with greater authority over child-care decisions.  In signing the agreement, aboriginal political and service organizations and the Province of British Columbia set aside historical, personal and ideological differences to benefit children.

 

The proposed legislation reflects a year of consultations with community members and organizations about services to children at risk of harm or neglect, adults with developmental disabilities, children with special needs, youth in the justice system and the families of these people.

 

            Five regional planning committees have already begun community consultation and planning for child protection and family development services, including foster care, child and youth mental health, supports to vulnerable families, and early childhood development. Aboriginal transition committees have also been formed to work with aboriginal communities to enhance their capacity to deliver a full range of family support and development services. More than 40 per cent of children in care are aboriginal.

 

The interim authorities will pave the way for permanent governance authorities to be defined in legislation next spring. Full transfer of responsibility, budget and staff to the new authorities is expected by the spring of 2004. The regional authorities for aboriginal child and family services will be created over the next three to five years.

 

A community living transition steering committee has consulted clients, their families and advocates throughout the province over the last six months. It recommends a single interim authority to plan a permanent community living services authority for 9,000 adults with developmental disabilities, and for children with special needs and their families.

 

The B.C. government has been praised by both the Canadian Association for Community Living and Inclusion International, based in France, for its visionary approach to delivering services to people with developmental disabilities.

 

“The planned transformation of community living services is a ground-breaking effort, within Canada and internationally,” wrote Diane Richler, president of Inclusion International, which represents organizations from more than 100 countries working on behalf of adults with developmental disabilities.

 

            The ministry’s headquarters will be responsible for setting standards, including legislation and regulations, and maintaining accountability for the new authorities. Budgets for the authorities will be set annually by the ministry.   Provincial facilities like youth custody centres and the Maples Adolescent Centre will continue to be operated by the ministry.

 

“Those community leaders who have served on transition steering committees across the province have earned international and national recognition for this innovative approach to delivering high quality services to vulnerable people,” said Hogg. “I am also grateful to the staff, parents and family members who have contributed hundreds of written submissions and thousands of hours to meetings and deliberations that are transforming social service delivery in this province.”

 

More information is available at http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/media_site/breaking_news.htm

 

-30-
Visit the province's Web site at http://www.gov.bc.ca/ for online information and services.
Media contact:	Carol Carman Communications Director 250 356-2007