Phase One: Reports Progress In-Progress*

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13)Connection to Family and Community Report

Name Recommendations Theme 1 Theme 2 5 Point Plan Acceptance Ministry Response Progress Action

2011/2012 2012/2013

The ministry should set a measurable standard and targeted compliance level to ensure key decisions are made with family and community relationships in mind –

particularly when young people come into care or when their placement changes. The efforts put toward meeting this standard should be documented and audited.

The standard should focus on:

• Maintaining relationships with family and community. Address relationship disruptions and challenges, and identify solutions to resolve or mitigate the

Involvement of children and families in decision making Program development/ delivery Quality Assurance Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted A key factor in improving outcomes for children is to listen to and consider the voices of the people we serve when looking for the best ways to meet their needs.

Relationships between caseworkers and children, caregivers, and communities, the ministry and the Advocate are key to making

fundamental differences in the lives of children, youth and families. All Albertans have an important role to play in supporting children and families in their communities. The Child Intervention system needs strong partnerships with groups that can help families address serious challenges, such as family violence, addictions, poverty, health and

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The ministry has taken action to increase efforts to work with Delegated First Nation Agencies (DFNAs), First Nation Band Designates and Métis communities in order to increase the number of children connected to their communities and extended family. Ministry investments in 31 Band Designate functions and activities support First Nation communities to participate in family searches, decision making and planning for their member children who are involved in the child intervention system.

The ministry has undertaken numerous activities to improve outcomes for children and youth of all ethnicities:

• Reviewing practice during our initial involvement with families to emphasize the need to engage with family and extended family.

• Adopting relationship-based practice tools (e.g. Signs of Safety) that better support families as central to planning and decision-making.

• Continuing to promote kinship care as the placement 2011/2012, and 2012/2013)

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Report

related negative impacts.

• Mitigation strategies. When a young person is separated from current relationships and connections, the Ministry should work to maintain these relationships in a meaningful way.

It is essential that caseworkers are supported to increase both initial and long-term activities to find family members and foster family and other supportive relationships that maintain meaningful connections for young people. This includes involving extended family, as soon as possible, in the decision-making process when bringing a young person into care, or when changing placement. These efforts should continue throughout a young person’s

mental health, among others. There are a number of broader systemic approaches to improving and enhancing the Child

Intervention system to support children to maintain their connections with family and

community. For example, initiatives such as Success in School for

Children and Youth in Care help ensure that, as much as possible, children in care stay connected to their school and community. Many successes in Outcomes-Based Service Delivery are based on relationship building and having as much information possible to understand a family’s needs and build on their strengths.

of choice. Some of the regional service delivery areas have created “kinship search “positions to assist in finding extended family or community members able to provide care to children who come into care.

• Completing a program review to explore the spectrum of collaborative decision-making and use of

alternative dispute resolution throughout the province. Recommendations regarding best practice and focus on outcomes will be included which could inform the review of CYFEA.

• The Calgary service delivery area has fostered a strong, on-going working relationship with the Muslim Council of Calgary (MCC). The MCC assists to:

− Identify Muslim community supports to assist keeping children out of care and Muslim members to care for kids through foster or kinship care.

− Educate and work with the Muslim community to take shared responsibility for children and youth in their community.

• Engaging staff and our service delivery partners in developing a Child Intervention Practice Framework. The Framework is about collaborating with families,

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involvement with the Ministry. This is especially important for young people to support them to develop and maintain cultural and traditional ties to their families and communities of origin. Maintaining these connections can be a source of strength for young people on a long-term basis.

community agencies and other stakeholders in building positive, respectful partnerships across integrated multidisciplinary teams and providing individualized, flexible and timely services.

• Alberta Vulnerable Infant Response Team (AVIRT) is a collaborative response to assessing at-risk infants who are under four months old. Alberta Health Services, the Metro Police Services, and the Edmonton and Calgary Regional Service Delivery areas are working together on this initiative.

− Results show that families served by AVIRT teams were connected to twice as many community resources, especially health-related programs, professionals and agency support.

• The OBSD Lead Agencies are currently testing a pre and post survey tool for parents involved in child intervention to self-report on parental capacity. The Children First Act supports enhanced relationships between caseworkers and family by placing team-based decision making with the people who work most closely with the child and family.

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Report

Name Recommendations Theme 1°°°° Theme 2°°°° 5 Point Plan Acceptance Ministry Response Progress Action

2011/2012 2012/2013

Addressing issues related to neglect can reduce the number of young people coming into care, and increase support to those responsible for ensuring effective intervention. The Ministry should engage stakeholders to identify issues, as well as opportunities to directly address neglect in a manner consistent with best practices in the field. The Ministry should develop and implement a plan to respond specifically to issues of neglect for children and families.

The plan should:

• provide a clear working definition of neglect

• include an assessment/risk tool specific to neglect issues

• identify a range of

interventions based on best

Systemic Program development/ delivery Addressing the root causes of needs for CI Consistently share information with the public for continuous improvement. Focus on the root causes of the issues affecting the safety and well-being of children. Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Only 15 % of cases involve allegations of severe physical or sexual abuse and injury. We need to evaluate whether there is severe and imminent risk to a child or a chronic need for support – this is critical for decision making and service provision. In cases of neglect, we will be focusing on strategies that address family support in the early stages of our involvement with them. This is an opportunity to involve our internal and external partners.

In Progress

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The ministry engaged in a Canadian jurisdictional scan of policies relating to neglect. We found that most jurisdictions do not have policies or strategies targeted specifically at neglect, but focus on using assessment tools and decision making models (e.g. Structured Decision Making Model). The ministry is focusing on assessment and intervention strategies that address family support in the very early stages of involvement:

• Multiple service delivery partners have adopted strengths-based approaches to practice (e.g. Signs of Safety), which work well to support families to address conditions related to neglect before they become severe.

• In some areas of the province, child

intervention and contracted agency staff have been trained in and adopted the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P). These types of programs are found to decrease the incidence of child abuse and neglect.

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Report

Name Recommendations Theme 1°°°° Theme 2°°°° 5 Point Plan Acceptance Ministry Response Progress Action

practices to address neglect

• ensure resources are focused and available to address neglect for young people and their families and

• include mandatory training initiatives to address neglect for caseworkers, supervisors and others responsible for delivering intervention services.

Addressing the issue of neglect starts with having strong and healthy communities that support families in their ability to care for their children and address concerns – before the need for child intervention. Families, communities, government ministries and service delivery partners need to work together to help prevent and address

circumstances within families that can lead to neglect, such as poverty, mental health concerns and addictions.

As poverty has a significant impact on the incidence of neglect, the ministry is leading the development of a five-year plan to eliminate child poverty and a 10-year plan to reduce overall poverty in Alberta. Government recently announced the investment of funding for training and skills development for home visitation practitioners in the Home Visitation program, which is a voluntary program for at-risk families who have children age six or younger. The training will help practitioners better screen for family violence and detect root causes affecting the safety and well-being of children.

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It is time to move away from placing young children in staffed facilities. Children have a right to grow up in family environments and greater attempts need to be made to make this happen for children who are receiving designated services. Accordingly, the Advocate recommends that the Ministry of Human Services:

• Increase the percentage of younger children who are in appropriate family-based placements. Unless there is a significant decrease in the number of younger children in care, increase the number of appropriate family-based placements.

• Reduce the length of time that

Systemic Program development/ delivery Awareness/ accessing appropriate program supports Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Staffed facilities fall under a broad spectrum of child and youth facilities ranging from traditional group homes and residential treatment facilities to short-term crisis nurseries and specialized medical placements.

It is important to acknowledge that for children whose behavioural, mental health or medical needs are extreme, there will continue to be a need for select placements in staffed facilities. The reality is that family-based placements are not always able to meet the specific needs of children under 10. Plans for children aged 10 and under who are placed in staffed facilities should be specific to their needs, closely monitored and focused on the best interests of the

In Progress

2

Front line delivery staff have started creating opportunities to utilize traditional placement resources in non-traditional ways in order to better meet the needs of children and families.

For example, several innovative practices are currently emerging around “reunification homes” or “staff supported parental care.” These are

placements where a child’s parent or guardian either lives in the placement or has a significant role in the day-to-day parenting of the child. Staff provide support and mentorship for parents to assist with successfully reintegrating the child back to the family environment.

Significant progress has been made in reducing the number of children 10 and under in staffed facilities. Provincially, there was a 28% decrease in the number of children aged 0-10 in group care facilities between March and September 2013.

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is no child specific need for this type of placement.

reintegration with the family or on locating the best placement option for a child. Regional service delivery partners have indicated that planning should be aggressive in terms of locating a family-based option wherever possible and that the level of monitoring of the plans and the placements needs to be elevated at the regional level. As noted above, we believe that planning should be targeted and aggressive, and the amount of time that a younger child spends in a staffed facility instead of a family-based placement should be minimized. This is especially true where a child’s behavioural, mental health or medical needs are not necessarily the primary reason for their placement in a staffed facility that is not a staffed “reunification home.”

The ministry commits to:

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specialized training on a case-by-case basis.

• Continued deliberate conversations and increased monitoring in regional service delivery areas.

• Revisiting the coding definitions in ISIS to better reflect the reality of the variety of placement types.

Discussing the issue a minimum of twice per year at PET, along with the regular sharing of numbers and successful strategies for working with this specific group of children.

OCYA 2012/13 Special Report: Youth Aging Out of Care

Recommendations Theme 1 Theme 2 5 Point Plan Acceptance Ministry Response Progress Action

1. Ensure young people leaving care have affordable, safe, and stable housing options and the financial resources to support themselves independently. Systemic Cross-ministry Collaboration and Support for Youth and Transitioning to Enhance education, training and support for child

Accepted The Ministry recognizes that the need for affordable, safe, and stable housing is a basic need. The reality is that housing options for many of Alberta’s vulnerable populations are limited due to Alberta’s

In Progress

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Effective December 1, 2013, Calgary and Area service delivery has increased living rates for youth receiving Support and Financial Assistance. As of January 1, 2014, they began offering all youth turning 18 years old a Support and Financial Assistance Agreement

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- Revise policy and practice to provide the support required by young people.

Partnerships Adulthood intervention workers.

increasing population and the economy’s impact on vacancies. This is a global issue that needs to be addressed in Alberta among various levels of government. The ministry will continue to work towards identifying housing options across the province and will raise awareness about the affordable, safe, and stable housing resources that are available.

The ministry has partnered with many agencies across the province to provide wraparound services in many forms of living arrangements. This type of service delivery has been used successfully,

ensuring that youth have a support team to assist them in gaining and maintaining appropriate residency and developing skills for independence.

The Government of Alberta is in the process of developing a Plan to End Youth Homelessness. The proposed plan will:

• establish a shared vision, provincial priorities and policy directions amongst

(this is already in place in Edmonton and Area service delivery area).

The Ministry has initiated a Youth Reunification Project that identifies how youth, parents/guardians, caseworkers, placement providers (foster or kinship caregivers, group home staff) and other ministry staff can work together to support a youth’s return to family.

The Plan to End Youth Homelessness addresses the recommendation through the following strategies:

• Ensure no one leaves a system of care (child protection, corrections, mental health care) without housing options and support.

• Work with community organizations to develop specific strategies to move youth quickly out of homelessness and into permanent/supportive housing.

• Support community organizations to expand the range of housing supports provided to youth between the ages of 13 and 24.

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all ministries;

• facilitate collaboration among individuals, families and communities to prevent youth homelessness through education and awareness;

• support the provision of coordinated and integrated supports and services at the community level;

• provide the legislative and policy framework to address youth homelessness;

• support opportunities to share knowledge between policy makers, academics and service providers; and

• support promising practices and innovative research and programming. Current policy allows for flexibility for caseworkers to offer a range of options for living arrangements to support youth in transition in a manner that fits with their specific situation and in the communities in which they wish to reside and which are

of new approaches to helping youth. The learnings will be used to inform broader implementation of these approaches.

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best able to meet their needs. These options can include, but are not limited to: independent living, room and board with former foster parents and support in reunification with biological family. Rates for room and board/rent are based on community standards rather than being provincially established, in order to ensure that cost does not become the barrier to the right living arrangement.

As identified in the report, one region has committed to enter into Support and Financial Assistance (SFA) agreements with all youth who indicate they want support transitioning out of care. This is a conscious move away from a compliance-based casework relationship to a principled one that recognizes the challenges all youth face when entering adulthood and our responsibility as a parent to ensure youth have the safety net of a continued relationship should they choose. Actions:

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outcomes of the new approach to offering SFAs to all youth who are exiting care. The learnings will be used to inform possible broader implementation of this approach. 2. The ministry will work to prevent youth in care or formerly in care from becoming homeless, ensure youth receive the appropriate supports before they become entrenched in homelessness and support youth using a wrap-around client centered approach.

3. We will work with stakeholders and partners to ensure youth benefit from the broadest interpretation of services and supports that may be available to them. This includes supports under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act as well as through other Government of Alberta programs.

4. We will work to develop tools to assist with “natural family” approaches. This would include where a foster family is prepared to continue to support a youth in their home after the youth turns 18, particularly while he or she is still in school.

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This would allow the young person to be supported through the transition to independence in the same way a natural family would ordinarily provide support to their child.

2. Dedicates and trains caseworkers to meet the unique needs of young people leaving care.

- Identify caseworkers to serve this population, including dedicated time available for young people to access them.

- Provide training to staff on the needs of this population and how to engage them. Internal Program Development/ Delivery Support for Youth and Transitioning to Adulthood Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Human Services offers a variety of training to equip caseworkers to serve children and youth in need, including extensive delegation training for caseworkers. The ministry recognizes there are unique and complex challenges for many youth in care who are

preparing to transition to adulthood that requires a certain type of support. Where the populations of youth in care and youth transitioning out of care are higher, regions have developed specialized units such as the High Risk Youth Unit and High Fidelity Wrap Around services. Caseworkers in these

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Ongoing collaboration and dissemination of information through the Provincial Enhancement Table, Child and Family Services Division (CFSD) Leadership table and the DFNA Directors.

The ministry will complete a comprehensive review of staff training (including delegation training) which commenced in January 2014. The review will include an examination of the material, training and tools available to assist staff to meet the unique needs of youth.

The ministry has provided funding to the Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta to create online training for their members (staff who work in group care facilities).

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types of units gain a great deal of

experience and are trained specifically to serve this population. This level of specialization is not always possible in rural regions where the youth caseloads are not large. Capacity building does not happen only through training; it also occurs through connecting with other professionals and continuing to be aware of and learning about emerging themes and practices. The ministry recognizes we need to do a better job of sharing the intent and outcomes of new service delivery approaches. We will develop a coordinated process for sharing information and resources.

We also recognize the significance of youth workers and support workers in our partnering agencies who are valued members of the youth’s skilled service teams. We know their expertise and dedication to meeting the unique needs of each youth increases positive

outcomes.

recommendation through the following strategy:

• Develop strategies and responses that reflect the unique needs of Aboriginal, Metis, Immigrant and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Questioning community.

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Actions:

1. We will work with our regional service delivery partners to share in training and information sessions related to youth transitioning to adulthood.

2. We will continue to be responsive to changing trends for youth through the innovative work in relationship building we are seeing with programs like High Risk Youth Units and High Fidelity Wrap Around services being offered in areas with a high density of youth.

3. We will develop a central repository for information and resources and a community of practice for worksites and caseworkers across the province who are working with youth in both rural and urban centres to share their expertise and learn from one

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3. Increase awareness of caseworkers, caregivers, and service providers about resources for young people leaving care and support young people to access them.

- Create greater awareness among caseworkers, caregivers, and agency staff about resources and programs that support transitioning to independence. - Build processes for a seamless

transition from 'in care' to adult services that are appropriate to their needs.

Internal Program Development/ Delivery Awareness/ accessing appropriate program supports Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Many innovative and systemic changes have been implemented to support the successful transition of youth receiving services to adulthood. A few of these include:

• Advancing Futures Bursary program, which provides essential support related to funding for post-secondary education of youth who are leaving or who have left care.

• High Risk Youth Units and caseworkers who specialize in

working with hard to serve youth and youth transitioning to adulthood.

• Wrap-around service delivery approaches that include ministry staff, community agency staff and youth working together to support a seamless transition to adult services.

• Supported Independent Living programs accessed by youth to assist in the development of living skills,

In Progress

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As committed in the actions detailed in the response, a comprehensive review of staff training is underway. The Youth Transitions project (partnership with AFPA and AASCF) will be completed in summer 2014.

Child intervention staff are adopting the FSCD program’s integrated approach to transition planning for youth in care. The Plan to End Youth Homelessness addresses the

recommendation through the following strategy:

• Enhance outreach services delivered by community organizations to ensure young people can be targeted early.

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including daily living, budgeting, housing searches, among others.

• The Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program has developed a specific integrated approach to transition planning to coordinate access to the programs and services supporting youth with disabilities to reach their full potential. The Ministry of Human Services now includes Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) and Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) allowing for increased opportunities to develop smoother and more effective transition processes for youth who will be accessing these programs and supports.

• A Youth Transitions project, in partnership with the Alberta Foster Parent Association (AFPA) and the Alberta Association of Services for Children and Families (AASCF), to

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develop a tool box of resources for youth, caregivers and staff to better prepare and support youth in transition.

• Partnerships with Employment and Financial Supports and Alberta Works to support the development of youth employment skills and programs leading to increased opportunities for youth. Some of these initiatives include connecting youth directly to career counsellors, jointly providing education and job readiness skills and working to develop education and job search tip sheets specific to

vulnerable youth. Actions:

1. We will develop a central repository for information about what is available for youth in care to ensure caseworkers, caregivers and agency staff are aware of existing resources. 2. We will continue to build capacity in

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agencies and caregivers to support the youth they work with. This includes the completion of the Youth Transitions project with the AFPA and AASCF as well as the

implementation of the FSCD transition initiative.

3. We will strengthen Human Services’ response to youth transitioning out of care by adopting promising approaches and expanding work already underway.

4. Ensure young people leaving care have supportive adult relationships. - Work with young people and caregivers so young people develop the

relationships and relationship skills they require for independence.

- Wherever possible, ensure that young

Involvement of children and families in decision making Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted The Ministry of Human Services recognizes the importance of, and encourages the development of, healthy adult relationships as a key component in the successful transition from a youth in care to a healthy adult. There are no more significant relationships to a child

In Progress

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Discussion at the Provincial Enhancement Table, with representatives from the service delivery areas as well as the DFNAs regarding supporting familial ties.

Legislative amendment to allow for the review of Permanent Guardianship Order by a former guardian, which supports former guardians in making an application to the court to

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people are able to effectively address their interests regarding family relationships. Cross-ministry Collaboration and Partnerships Support for Youth and Transitioning to Adulthood

or youth than those with their family of origin. Efforts to encourage and foster healthy, supportive adult relationships have to be an ongoing and intentional focus for caseworkers from the beginning of their involvement with a child and their family. We know youth in care often express the desire and intention to reconnect with their biological families as they enter adulthood. Approaches such as the Outcomes-based Service Delivery initiative emphasize relationship-based practice through increased family searches and engagement with immediate and extended family. The expanded use of Family Group

Conferences has led to increased success in maintaining and developing

relationships and commitments between the youth and their immediate and extended family. Overall, the ministry has been placing an increased emphasis on avoiding the disruption of connections to biological parents and, when it has to happen, supporting the youth in

have their guardianship reinstated and the child returned to their care.

Strength-based approaches including the Signs of Safety, practice framework and practice achievement groups (front-end working group and the youth reunification project) are all dedicated to increase connections with the original and extended family. Continued development and

implementation will continue on these approaches.

Developmental work has started to find and support mentors for all children in care.

• The Plan to End Youth Homelessness addresses the recommendation through the following strategy: Keep youth engaged in school through mentorship programs and the provision of comprehensive services connecting families, schools, community partners and employers.

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reconnecting and/or resolving the status of those relationships.

Actions:

1. We will support our regional service delivery partners in the adoption of tools and approaches that are intended to preserve families from the beginning of Child Intervention involvement – including strengths-based approaches such as Signs of Safety, which involves family members in identifying

danger/harm as well as strengths and supports with the goal of preserving family connections. 2. We will continue to promote the use

of Family Group Conferencing as a tool for family preservation and family reunification/connection.

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5. Support young people leaving care with access to counseling and/or mental health services and those that require it are transitioned to the adult system. - Provide counseling to young people who require it to address the trauma

surrounding coming into care and related issues.

- Work with Alberta Health Services to provide services that meet the mental health needs of young people.

Systemic Cross-ministry Collaboration and Partnerships Support for Youth and Transitioning to Adulthood Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted The mental health and emotional well-being of youth in care is a priority for the Ministry of Human Services. As with any youth, the transition to adulthood often brings increased anxiety. Through a Support and Financial Assistance Agreement, the ministry is able to continue to pay for counselling services and required medication up to the age of 22. We understand the formal transition required from children’s health and mental health services to the adult system does not always happen in a seamless way.

Actions:

1. Strengthen policy to reflect the need to formally transition health and mental health services from the child system to the adult system as part of transition planning.

2. Continue as an active partner in the Addiction and Mental Health Strategy to support foster parents, families, and caregivers in working with youth who

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The Enhancement Act will be revised to strengthen the transition between the child and adult systems. Continued partnership with the Addiction and Mental Health Strategy.

Ministry staff have been involved in planning for a symposium on Mental Health Services for Children and Youth.

The Plan to End Youth Homelessness addresses the recommendation through the following strategies:

• Invest in community based/mobile mental health and addictions supports.

• Work with community organizations to streamline access to Community Residential Treatment programs for youth.

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have mental health issues. This includes supporting the transition from youth to adult services.

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1. Child Intervention Services should engage in comprehensive assessments to ensure a balance is struck between child-focused and family-centered approaches. It is vital that intervention services not only address the presenting issues in a family, but also fully examine and address the impacts those issues have had on children in the family.

Involvement of children and families in decision making Program Development/ Delivery Awareness/ accessing appropriate program supports Policy/ program development/ revision Focus on the root causes of the issues affecting the safety and well-being of children. Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Child intervention assessments require a thorough examination of immediate safety concerns, and identifying the strengths that exist within the family to alleviate these concerns. At times, tension may be created by trying to reconcile two opposing expectations: keeping children safe and keeping families together.

Commitment: The Ministry will continue to incorporate leading and evidence-based practice to inform comprehensive and balanced assessment processes. We utilize well-researched assessment tools for use at all stages of involvement, with components that explore childhood development, parenting capacity, family / environmental factors and family violence. The Ministry currently has a working group focused on examining and improving assessment practice, particularly at initial stages of involvement.

Actions: We will revise our approach to the way we conduct assessments of children in need of intervention, by redefining risk and safety and building on the strength and resiliency of children, youth and families.

In Progress

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A review of practice and assessment is underway. The shift in assessment practice includes being more inclusive of family in making decisions (family and natural supports meetings), using existing strengths and resiliency to mitigate the need for intervention, ongoing focus on collaboration, and supports the differentiation between risk, harm and danger to support and engage critical thinking. These considerations are being discussed and learnings shared through strength-based approaches including the Signs of Safety, practice framework and front-end working group, which all take into consideration the balance between the child’s safety and the connection to family.

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OCYA 2013/14 Investigative Review - Remembering Brian

Recommendations Theme 1 Theme 2 5 Point

Plan Acceptance Ministry Response Progress Action

2. Develop guidelines that will aid caseworkers in assessing the impacts of family violence and parental addictions on children, and which provide direction for supporting children who have been exposed to these circumstances.

Internal Program Development/ Delivery Cross-ministry Collaboration and Partnerships Assessing Existing Services/Processes, Awareness-building Enhance education, training and support for child interventio n workers. Focus on the root causes of the issues affecting the safety and well-being of children.

Accepted The Ministry recognizes that family violence and parental addictions have a significant impact on children. The Ministry has policies, training and assessment tools to ensure a robust response to family violence or situations where parental addictions contribute to neglect, emotional injury, and/or physical or sexual abuse. Family violence and parental addictions are issues that can be most effectively addressed through an integrated response involving multiple systems.

Commitment:

The Ministry will continue to work collaboratively with health, addiction and mental health systems, the Courts and policing agencies in the development of practical strategies to assist caseworkers involved with families where family violence, addictions and/or mental health

In Progress

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Human Services is an active participant in the Addictions and Mental Health Strategy with Health.

A comprehensive review of staff training (including family violence training) is underway - commenced in January 2014.

Caseworkers use a screening tool for family violence.

Mental Health First Aid is being offered to frontline CFSA and DFNA staff across the province. Training for trainers is also being offered in Regions.

Recent government investment of $5 million will: • Introduce three best practice sites in Calgary,

Edmonton and Red Deer to provide increased mental health services to children and youth

• Provide children and youth in care who have experienced physical abuse, sexual abuse and/or neglect with better access to mental health specialists.

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concerns are present. We will continue to build on positive steps already taken, such as the hiring of regional family violence and bullying coordinators, the

development and implementation of the mandatory Screening Aide for Family Violence, the development and delivery of mandatory training on the Protection Against Family Violence Act and of Family Violence and Bullying 101, Substance Abuse and Addictions training, and delegation training for new staff which included examining the interconnectivity of alcohol addictions, family violence and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Actions:

We have initiated the following strategies: 1. We will develop and provide Family Violence training modules for front-line child intervention workers, police

partners, shelter staff, and agency service delivery partners.

2. We will deliver Mental Health First Aid Training to front-line child intervention

• Provide child intervention staff with instant access to expert clinical/medical consultation that will help them better understand available psychiatric treatment plans and appropriate medications

• Provide crisis mental health supports for high-needs children and offer effective strategies to help foster parents and other caregivers; and

• Develop a cross-ministry mental health action plan that will enhance and sustain a high-level of supports for children involved with child intervention and expand the reach to support all children and families with mental health needs in Alberta.

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workers, agency staff and caregivers who interact with youth.

3. We will continue to be an active partner with Alberta Health on

implementing the Addictions and Mental Health Strategy, so that children, youth and their families, including those at risk and in care, have access to services and community supports.

3. In developing support plans for children and their families, intervention caseworkers should ensure that

comprehensive plans are in place to support and maintain a child’s cultural connections, recognizing that family community and tradition are all important contributors to culture.

Involvement of children and families in decision making Program Development/ Delivery Awareness/ accessing appropriate Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Fostering and maintaining connections to family, culture and community are recognized as key components of a comprehensive case plan.

Commitment:

The Ministry will continue to work with service delivery partners to improve connections to community and culture for children and youth receiving services. We

In Progress

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The ministry implemented revisions to the Concurrent Plan policy in December 2013.

Discussions occurred at PET, CFSD Leadership table, and with the DFNA Directors regarding the changes that were a part of the strengthened policies regarding foster care.

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program supports

will continue to build on emerging promising practices to increase caregiver capacity across the province.

Actions:

We have multiple types of plans for staff to utilize in working with families and

caregivers to address all aspects of a child or youth’s needs, including supports specific to kinship care and supports specific to ties to community and culture. We will adopt and support approaches that better engage families, caregivers and communities in planning to ensure children and youth have opportunities to maintain or develop familial and cultural

connections.

4. Kinship caregivers should be provided with specialized training and support plans which are both tailored to meet

Internal Enhance

education, training and

Accepted The Ministry recognizes that there are unique complexities and dynamics involved in being a kinship care provider.

In Progress

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A steering committee to develop provincial orientation training for kinship caregivers will be consolidating the training materials currently available into a consistent

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their individual and unique needs. The goal should be to ensure kinship caregivers have the resources they require to manage the unique challenges that come with their caregiving, such as dual loyalties, unrealistic expectations, changes in family dynamics and feelings of loss, guilt and shame.

Program Delivery/ Development Supporting Caregivers support for child intervention workers.

While training is certainly a component of ensuring successful kinship care

placements, the support offered is also a critical element.

Commitment:

The Ministry will continue to support initiatives to improve understanding of the expectations placed on caregivers. Specific attention will be paid to supporting kinship care training and integration of that learning into their everyday experience. We will continue to build on progress that has already been made, including the update to the Orientation to Caregiver Training program, the development and implementation of the Kinship Caregiver Guidebook in 2010, and the strengthened and expanded kinship care policy package that was implemented in 2011.

Actions:

We have completed much of the work to develop and deliver specialized training for caregivers, as is recommended in the

package of training that can be delivered in all service delivery areas and DFNAs.

Safe Babies Training is currently being offered provincially with the opportunity for Train the Trainer sessions to build capacity for ongoing training needs for new and existent caregivers.

FASD training module has been developed for caregivers and is being incorporated into core training for caregivers.

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report. We will continue to move forward on specialized training opportunities that have been developed for all caregivers, including Safe Baby training, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Training, and the Transitioning Youth Successfully initiative, and will take additional steps.

1. We will work with the foster care community and our regional service delivery partners to provide universal access to foster parent supports and training for kinship caregivers.

2. Working with the Alberta Foster Parent Association and the Alberta Association of Services for Children and Families, we will develop and provide specialized training for all caregivers, including resources focused on supporting youth in care to transition successfully to adulthood and providing care for drug-exposed infants as well as children and youth affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).

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5. Intervention caseworkers should be provided specialized training to manage unique situations presented by kinship care arrangements. The goal should be to ensure caseworkers can effectively support kinship caregivers in providing protection, well-being and a bridge to permanency for children in their care.

Internal Staff Program development/ delivery Training Supporting caregivers Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Kinship care is the preferred placement for children. The unique complexities and dynamics of kinship care require a different type and level of casework support. Intervention staff need to understand these differences in order to provide effective services.

Commitment:

The Ministry will continue to support learning and training opportunities for staff. We will continue to place emphasis on building capacity for staff in this area.

Actions:

We have initiated multiple strategies to develop and deliver focused training for child intervention staff. The Ministry regularly delivers accessible, practical training via province wide

videoconferences on a variety of practice topics and we are convening a

committee to examine issues regarding placements. Delegation training for new staff includes enhanced training on

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The department developed and delivered a Policy to Practice session regarding kinship care.

• Handouts from the session were made available to the participants and the presentation and summary is available online as a resource to all front-line staff.

Comprehensive review of staff training (including material on foster and kinship care in delegation training) is underway - commenced in January 2014.

Provincial Placement table with representatives from the service delivery areas, including the DFNAs will discuss practice and program enhancements for kinship care and the support of kinship care placements, including sharing leading practices.

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providing supports to foster and kinship care providers. We will be exploring other promising training opportunities as they emerge.

1. We will continue to work with our regional service delivery partners to develop strategies that will help caseworkers to better support kinship caregivers.

2. We will continue to look at how other jurisdictions address kinship care and how each regional service delivery partner operates their kinship care program to develop leading practices.

6. Alberta’s Human Services should review and amend policies and guidelines to bring about consistent practices among regions and ensure seamless, coordinated inter-regional delivery of intervention services. Internal Program Development/ Delivery Assessing Existing Services/ Processes Enhance education, training and support for child intervention

Accepted The Ministry recognizes that a change in residency for a child, youth or family should not result in a disruption in services. Our regional services delivery partners must work collaboratively in the coordination of services for children,

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The list of regional contacts (service delivery areas and DFNAs) was updated and posted on the HS Intranet site.

Provincial Enhancement Table, with representatives from service delivery areas and DFNAs, held discussions regarding the barriers to supporting transfers in a timely manner with

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workers. youth and families that support their safety and well-being, regardless of where they live.

Commitment:

The Ministry will increase consistency and minimize administrative delays when a child, youth or family moves between service delivery areas. Focusing on the needs of the child and family, rather than geographic boundaries and

administrative processes, will help to minimize the impact of these moves on the child’s well-being. In addition, legislation has been introduced to dissolve the Child and Family Services Authorities. Services will continue to be provided but with better collaboration between the regional delivery partners.

Actions:

We have initiated much of the work as recommended in the report, and we will continue to build on the work being done by the Kinship File Transfer Committee,

minimal disruption in services occurred.

A working group was formed to outline potential barriers and effective policy revisions to support the transfer of files and placement resources.

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including reviewing existing policy, standard timelines and removing potential barriers to transfers. The Inter regional/DFNA Point Person contact list was updated and placed in a more accessible area on the Ministry Intranet. 1.We will work with our regional service delivery partners to develop clarity and consistency in transferring and receiving files so that families, caregivers and the children in their care experience the least disruption in services and understand what types of supports will be provided and by whom.

2. We will ensure staff have easy access to an up-to-date Inter-regional/DFNA Point Person contact list.

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2. The child intervention system should assess each young person holistically, including identification and assessment of their protective factors, and work proactively with supportive adults to maintain and strengthen these factors to improve the young person's resiliency and well-being. Enhanced face-to-face interaction with children and families Program Development/ Delivery Awareness/ accessing appropriate program supports Focus on the root causes of the issues affecting the safety and well-being of children.

Accepted Response being drafted In Progress

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The department, regional service delivery staff and DFNA staff have discussed the policy requirements and practice regarding the review of service plans and development of a service team to support children and youth in care in developing skills for independence.

OCYA 2013/14 Investigative Review - Kamil: An Immigrant Youth's Struggle

3. The policy regarding approval of psychotropic medications should be amended to recognize and reflect the urgency of situations in which young people require these medications. In addition, there should be a requirement to communicate back to the mental health professional(s) when a

Internal Program Development/ Delivery Information Sharing Awareness/ accessing appropriate program supports Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers. Accepted in principle

Response being drafted In Progress

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A provincial meeting was held on December 4, 2013 with Ministry and regional service delivery partners to discuss the issue.

Future consultation between Ministry executive and the health system (child /adolescent psychiatry and pediatrics); streamlining access to consultation regarding psychotropic medications for front line staff and consideration of how

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recommended medication or therapy is not approved.

Improved Communication

existing tools (e.g. drug utilization lists) may be effectively used in medical consultations for individual children.

Alberta Health will provide HS with an additional $5 million in one-time funding this fiscal year, that will be used to support initiatives beginning in 2014/15:

• $350,000 of the $5 million will allow Human Services to recruit specialists (psychiatric nurse/pharmacist) to give child intervention staff timely access to expert

clinical/medical consultation

4. Caseworkers should personally communicate with young people and their mental health providers to obtain thorough and accurate information to ensure that their client's needs and interests are met.

Enhanced face-to-face interaction with children and families. Program Development/ Delivery Awareness/ accessing appropriate Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers. Accepted in principle

Response being drafted In Progress

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The ministry will be revisiting communication strategies and expectations, particularly as they relate to medication and treatment and to revising the policy as appropriate.

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Information Sharing program supports Improved communication

Recommendations Theme 1 Theme 2 5 Point Plan Acceptance Ministry Response Progress Action

5. Human Services should increase opportunities for child intervention staff to work in a more innovative, inclusive and collaborative environment to improve the quality of decision making for vulnerable children and youth.

Internal Program Development/ Delivery Awareness/ accessing appropriate program supports Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted Response being drafted In Progress

2

The department, service delivery areas and DFNAs support ongoing training for caseworkers, including collaborative training with service providers and contracted agencies.

• OBSD is a collaborative and innovative practice approach.

• Service delivery areas and DFNAs are engaging in Signs of Safety training and delivery. The ministry is supporting this practice initiative.

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Develop and implement a human resource strategy that addresses capacity, qualification and competencies at all levels of the system. Internal Staff HR Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers.

Accepted The Ministry will review existing human resource strategies and identify areas to promote integration, expand the number of Aboriginal staff, and reinforce the organizational commitment to

implementing leading practice strategies. We will be engaging staff in developing plans and strategies that are focused on supporting their success.

All staff performing casework activity will receive cultural training and will continue to receive the requisite training

(delegation training) that supplements formal education and ensures role specific competencies are developed.

The Ministry will also continue to work with post-secondary institutions that offer the Bachelor of Social Work, or comparable programs, to ensure the curriculum reflects the competencies required for child intervention work.

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All CI staff must complete delegation training which includes Working with Aboriginal Communities.

Since 2013, all Ministry staff are required to complete a Performance Agreement. The Performance Agreement was developed with input from frontline staff.

Aboriginal Recruitment and Retention initiative to address how the Ministry can better retain and attract Aboriginal staff. As part of this initiative, an Aboriginal Employee Survey was recently conducted.

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All child intervention services delivered to children and families by government or on behalf of government should be accredited.

Internal Program development and delivery Governance Quality assurance Leadership Transparency and public trust; strengthen work-force and casework practice

Accepted As the panel acknowledges, there is a need for further assessment of the process for implementing accreditation to the degree suggested. This

assessment will consider the impact of this recommendation on DFNA

agreements, alignment with existing legislative requirements, and policy and resource implications.

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The CQA and the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research are working to develop an Alberta Child Intervention System Quality Framework, including the creation of service quality indicators. Implementing full-scale accreditation may not be the most efficient or effective way to address the issue of service quality and oversight.

The Ministry completed a Request for Information and selected three accrediting bodies to accredit organizations/agencies providing contracted Child Intervention services:

• Canadian Accreditation Council of Human Services (CAC), Edmonton

• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitative Facilities (CARF), Edmonton

• Council on Accreditation (COA), New York

The accrediting bodies will offer relevant, objective and measureable standards.

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Establish an ongoing, formal, tripartite process to

collaboratively address inequity for First Nations people in the child intervention system.

Overrepresent ation of Aboriginals in the child intervention system Cross-ministry collaboration and partnerships Supporting Aboriginal Clientele (on and off-reserve) Context and Current State; Address root causes

Accepted Children and Youth Services has initiated the process to negotiate a tripartite Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU) to clearly define the goals, principles and process to strengthen collaboration.

Discussions between Chairs of DFNAs, Co-Chairs of Child and Family Services Authorities (CFSAs), and

representatives of First Nation bands served by CFSAs to assist in building relationships and working together on the common goal to improve outcomes for children, youth and families have also begun.

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Work has commenced on the Child and Family Services

Engagement Process (formerly the MOU working group). Tri-lateral partners include representatives from all three Treaty areas, INAC and the CFS Division. A strategic work plan is under development to guide the work.

CFS CQA Letter to Minister Hancock- August 2013

A Quality Improvement Pathway System founded on child

intervention recommendations and implementation status be

Systemic Information Improved Transparency and public trust; Improvement

Accepted Thank you for your letter providing two recommendations from the Child and Family Services Council for Quality Assurance related to the improvement

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• As originally discussed in December 2012 and February 2013 with the Child and Family Services (CFS) Division, this

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developed, implemented and maintained.

Sharing Communication and

Information sharing Context and Current State; Address root causes

of child intervention services in our province. I am pleased to accept both recommendations, which will serve to strengthen learning and continuous quality improvement in serving our children.

importance of tracking and reporting on past and future recommendations.

• The Division has established the foundational elements to support a tracking system in preparation for input from the CQA and other key stakeholders.

An Alberta “Child Intervention System Quality Framework” be developed through consultation and collaboration. The resulting Child Intervention System Quality Principles will serve as an

“overarching umbrella” from which relevant metrics can flow. The overall guiding form of the framework would be derived from consultation with stakeholders at all levels, including:

• Albertans receiving child intervention services. Internal Program delivery/ development Policy/practice development/re vision Enhance education, training and support for child intervention workers Context and Current State; Address root causes

Accepted Thank you for your letter providing two recommendations from the Child and Family Services Council for Quality Assurance related to the improvement of child intervention services in our province. I am pleased to accept both recommendations, which will serve to strengthen learning and continuous quality improvement in serving our children.

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The ministry (CFS Division and the Aboriginal Engagement and Strategy Division) is working in partnership with the CQA and the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research (ACCFCR) on the creation of this framework.

Stakeholders, including Albertans receiving child intervention services and those who deliver services (such as ministry staff, Delegated First Nation Agencies, community and contracted agencies), are being asked to provide input to inform the critical elements of quality within the child intervention system.

• The first meeting of the Child Intervention Quality Advisory Committee was held on February 6, 2014.

A Request for Interest was launched by the ACCFCR in the fall of 2013 to support the development of the framework which is

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• Albertans who deliver child intervention services such as ministry staff, Delegated First Nation Agencies, community and contracted agencies.