Children receiving services from child welfare agencies will be better protected under new provincial legislation that recently came into effect and requires the immediate reporting of all critical incidents of children in care. This announcement was made by Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross.
“The new rules will require anyone who works for or provides services to Manitoba Child and Family Services agencies or authorities to report the serious injury of a child in care,” Minister Irvin-Ross said. “Up to now, only child deaths were required to be reported immediately. This change will make child welfare more accountable and able to more quickly introduce or expand services or programs that better respond to the needs of children in care.”
Under the new legislation, Manitoba Child and Family Services staff, volunteers, trainees, foster parents, residential child-care facility operators and those providing services in a place of safety must report critical incidents within an hour or at the earliest possible opportunity if immediate communication isn’t possible. Critical incidents are those that result in life-threatening or potentially life-altering injuries and can be caused by an accident or physical abuse.
Foster parents, those providing care for a child at a family residence, place of safety and volunteers can report a critical incident by phone to the appropriate agency. Employees and service providers will report to the responsible agency or to the director of child and family services. Operators of residential child-care facilities will report to the placing agency and the director of child and family services.
“By immediately reporting critical incidents, any safety issues will be addressed as quickly as possible, whether it’s through changes for a single child or across the system,” Minister Irvin-Ross said. “This could result in enhanced training for agency workers or more supports for families, for example. The safety of children in care is our primary concern.”
The legislative amendments are part of actions being taken by government to strengthen protections for children following the release of the report of the inquiry into the murder of Phoenix Sinclair in 2005, Minister Irvin-Ross said.
The minister noted the province consulted with child and family service authorities, agencies and other stakeholders to develop the Critical Incident Reporting Regulation and to prepare for the introduction of the new rules.
More information on the act is available at www.gov.mb.ca/fs/childfam.
