Ministry Failed ‘One Of Its Most Vulnerable Children’
Prince George, BC – It is a tragic and alarming report that details a child with complex special needs being moved constantly – 15 times – while in ministry care, suffering serious injuries on many occasions, and being isolated in a so-called ‘safe room’ for long periods…
In releasing her report into the life of the 11-year-old Aboriginal boy who was tasered by Prince George RCMP in April 2011, BC’s Representative for Children and Youth says, "The tasering incident, and indeed most of the 22 critical injuries reported about this child, could have been prevented had the ministry invested in a proper residential care system with trained and qualified staff, behaviour therapy and other supports to give this child an opportunity to develop and recover from the trauma of his early years."
Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond says "serious errors" were made by MCFD’s child protection system that left this child subject to abuse and neglect – both in his birth home and in subsequent abusive foster home placements. She notes the child was subjected to 15 moves after entering into the care of the ministry in 2001 and police were called too many times to assist with controlling his behaviour.
Turpel-Lafond’s investigation shows that residential placements in which the child has lived since the age of eight have featured a so-called ‘Safe Room’ – in which the child was often place in isolation. She says, "There is no legislation or policy in place to permit this practise, and seclusion in a locked room has repeatedly re-traumatized this child."
The Children and Youth Rep says it’s the most difficult case her agency has reported on and says, "this child’s basic rights to safety, education, health care, socialization and cultural identity were not provided by the ministry."
Turpel-Lafond is calling on MCFD to immediately discontinue the use of isolation and restraint as behaviour management strategies for children in care and is calling on the provincial government to fulfill its role as a ‘prudent parent’ and establish a continuum of suitable residential care for children with complex special needs.
The Representative says while this is the saddest case she has reported on, sadly, is is not the only one where a safe and therapeutic residence has been unavailable for a child with complex care needs.
Comments
Sure would be nice to hear honestly from some social workers who work within this system. Why can’t the social workers determine which children need serious counselling/therapy and why is there such emphasis on placing children back with their parents who have proven time and time again to be abusive. I know it’s human nature to give people a second chance but some don’t deserve it and who is there to protect the children from their own parents?
It is pure speculation on the part of Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond that there would have been a better outcome even if this kid had all the help in the world.
Perhaps she should drop her address off at the ministry and they can bring the young fellow over to stay with her. Can check back in a year or so to see how she had made out. I’m sure by then he will be ready to reenter society as a fully functioning member.
I actually read the report. A child, before the age of 5, multiple foster homes, multiple bruises, starving, neglected, locked up in isolation, had his head held under water, received freezing showers for discipline. Abuse and neglect not only happened in the family home, but in the main foster home as well. The kid needed a good ass whacking? Did you READ this report?
“It is pure speculation on the part of Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond that there would have been a better outcome even if this kid had all the help in the world.” This is true, however, this kid was never given the chance. The parental rights outweighed the child’s right to safety. The abusive foster home was never reported to police – WHY? There is no answer to that. Criminal acts took place there, to lord knows how many children, and these people were not reported to the police?
Did the kid need to be tasered? Probably. Sounds like it wasn’t an unreasonable response by the RCMP. Was this child responsible for his own behavior? I can argue both sides, but the fact remains this child never had a chance.
onemansthoughts “Watch now, all the bleeding hearts will get after me . lol. Bring it on.”
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Actually, as strong as the temptation is, this bleeding heart will resist the urge. Instead, I extend my sympathy to you for your inability to relate to what this child went through.
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Well put Thunder. Of course the author speculated. That was her assignment in addition to documenting the actual events.
How are we to consider alternatives about future actions without speculating about past failures? Reminds me of the old saying that goes something like, “Stupid is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
The report was well written and once again proves that reality can be more horrifying than fiction. Interesting to note that the just released statement from the Ministry senior officials accepts the whole report.
But didnt this child stab someone earlier.
Sounds like a “lose/lose” situation for all concerned. Have to pass a test to get a driver’s license. Have to be 19 to drink and gamble. Yet, anyone can be a parent. Doesn’t sound right.
I hope this kid gets the help he needs but I think the decks stacked agsinst you when all that bad stuff happened to him at such a young age.
No.. The parents failed this child. If the parents had done their job as parents this child would not have ended up in the care of the ministry.
Bornandbread.. I used to work with social workers. They are very understaffed. They don’t get a lot of time per child/case due to workload. They do the best they can with the time the get but need more.
The question begs to be asked: what do the natives do with dysfunctional families? Is here any intervention at all?
True, years ago before the introduction of alcohol and drugs, when everybody had a job to do within their communities, there may not have been as much of a problem there. But now in this modern age, how do they address it? Perhaps we should hear from them to see if they have any ideas or ways to handle these problems without the intervention of the Provincial Government.
When we see such a high proportion of inmates coming from this community we have to ask why this is? Are they taught no longer that there are laws for society that need to be followed?
They surely have laws for their own societies or are they just guidelines and the strongest always get what they want?
You would think that native communities all over this nation would be clamouring all over the Osooyoos first nation for ideas that work and put them to good use in their own communities to improve everyone’s lives.
I don’t know, that’s why I am asking.
I hope we can hear from some of them, especially their leaders.
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