Carrier Sekani Working Towards Guardianship of Aboriginal Children in Ministry Care

By 250 News

Carrier Sekani  Family Services Director Mary Teegee reviews notes prior to news conference ( photo opinion250 staff)  

Prince George, B.C. -  Carrier  Sekani  Family Services  is negotiating with the Ministry of Children and Families for the guardianship of aboriginal children in the Ministry’s  care.  The move to make changes follows the inquest into the death of 3 year old Savannah Hall. ( see previous story) 

Warner Adams, Executive Director of Carrier Sekani Family Services  says  the current method of dealing with children in care doesn’t  deal with  the re-building of families especially when the family is First Nations ,  "All too often  our members are treated with disrespect and label our people unfit to parent a child.  It is institutional and structural racism at its worst".  But when asked if  racism  played a role in the  death of Savannah Hall, Adams says no "This was about quality of care, there were enough symptoms that the foster mother should have sought medical advice  ” says Adams.  

The Coroner’s Jury made 26 recommendations,  of  which 17 were directed at the Provincial Ministry of Children and  Families.

Carrier Sekani Family  Services Director of Children and Family Services Mary Teegee says   the CFCS standards for child care are high “Our minimum standard is their highest standard”.  She says the CSFS incorporates a cultural component and cultural appropriateness training. “We look at restoring the family, and the extended family, dealing with the issue holistically.  This is the standard of care we accept.”

CSFS Director Warner Adams   calls for a more appropriate dispersal  of Ministry dollars. “ We had asked for a Clan  house to be built at Lake Babine,  to date we have not  received a response,  but the Deputy Minister  spent  $560 thousand dollars to  renovate a board room to make Indian people more comfortable.  I think it would have been better to spend that money on the children than to renovate an office.”

Even if the Carrier Sekani  Famly Services  negotiates  guardianship, it still doesn’t have the clout that goes along with  child protection.  

There has been no discussion on how much money would be needed for the Carrier Sekani  Family Services to  operate and provide their own child welfare services. “We are negotiating that” says Teegee.

There are  1,019 childeren  in care in northern B.C.  Of that number, 772 (75.8%) are of Aboriginal descent.

As the two Carrier Sekani  Family Services Directors spoke with members of the media, the man who is currently in charge of Child Welfare throughout Northern B.C. stood at the doorway taking notes.  When asked his  thoughts  on the  issues being  presented, Robert Watts  responded with “No comment.”

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