Voice of Youth

Posted on August 2, 2018

“I’m not gonna tell you what gives me hope, I’m going to tell you what I hope comes out of this. I really hope we don’t have to keep having these same conversations that have been going on for more than 60 years, and that we do not have to reform or to reimagine child welfare, and that the government can fully be supportive and be involved and that they walk in the same direction as us. And that we do not have to keep having these legal battles or just having the same dialogue that each government has with us.” – Reina Foster, former foster child and advocate on behalf of First Nations kids and youth in care [1]

Parity for Kinship Foster Caregivers (Chronicle of Social Change, August 2018)

Improve Federal Supports for Foster Parents (Chronicle of Social Change, August 2018)

Supporting Prevention, Assessing Childhood Trauma (Chronicle of Social Change, August 2018)

Stable Placement Equals Stable Education (Chronicle of Social Change, July 2018)

Getting Serious About Siblings (Chronicle of Social Change, July 2018)

Protecting LGBTQ Rights in Child Welfare (Chronicle of Social Change, July 2018)

Universal Foster Care to Age 21 (Chronicle of Social Change, July 2018)

Mentoring and College Support for Foster Youth (Chronicle of Social Change, July 2018)

Improving Foster Care for Refugee Minors (Chronicle of Social Change, July 2018)

Moving Toward Trauma-Informed Schools (Chronicle of Social Change, July 2018)

Jaclyn King Has Overcome a lot to get Where She is Today – She is Doing More Than Surviving, She is Thriving (Nelson Star, June 2018)

Successful MMA Fighter Justin Willis Aims to Raise Awareness About the Foster Care System and the Mistreatment he Endured (MMA, June 2018)

Brothers Share Details of Their Lives in Foster Care With Their Program “Decade Out” – Travelling Around the Country Talking to Numerous Agencies, Groups, Churches, Colleges, and Others (Canton Rep, June 2018)

Reimaging the Child Welfare System – by Reina Foster (Journal of Law and Social Policy, 2018)

“One Thing I do Recall is Feeling Powerless and Unprotected” – Reina Foster (The Tyee, June 2018)

After an Abusive Childhood in Foster Care, This Executive Sees Success as Revenge (Washington Post, June 2018)

Education Policy Needs to Catch up to the Needs of Foster Care Youth (Teen Vogue, June 2018)

Foster Care Forces me to Conceal my Identity as a Queer, Black, Muslim Person (Teen Vogue, June 2018)

Marlo Hampton, Who Grew up in the Foster Care System, is Using Her Celebrity Status as a Catalyst for Change – She Aims to Encourage Young Girls in the Foster Care System to Excel Beyond Their Current Status and Succeed in All Areas of Their Lives (The Oracle, May 2018)

I Was a Foster Child, and Now I’m a Foster Care Advocate (Teen Vogue, May 2018)

How Foster Care Has Stripped Native American Children of their Own Cultures (Teen Vogue, May 2018)

How Foster Care can Split up Siblings (Teen Vogue, May 2018)

How Prevention Services Could Help Youth Avoid the Foster Care System (Teen Vogue, May 2018)

How Foster Care Works in the United States (Teen Vogue, May 2018)

Indigenous Designer who Experienced Foster Care and Childhood Abuse, Sees Fashion as a Way to Heal and Inspire (CBC News, May 2018)

[1] Katie Hyslop, “Lessons from Care: ‘One Thing I Do Recall Is Feeling Powerless and Unprotected’” June 4, 2108

Former Foster Youth in Fashion Tells His Story to Encourage Others (January 10, 2022)

Best of Youth Voice 2021 (December 27, 2021)

It’s On All of Us: Close Youth Prisons, Build Youth Leaders (June 21, 2021)

Snapshots From the Life in the Foster Care System (November 9, 2021)

In Pushing through Life’s Difficulties, “Incapable” Youth Can Reach New Heights (December 17, 2021)

Simone Biles: You Can Be Strong and Choose Rest (July 29, 2021)

Eradicating Color Lines to Provide Safe Environments for All Foster Youth (December 8, 2021)

Youth Voices are Essential in Reforming the Child Welfare System (June 17, 2020)

Spotlight on Youth Voices: Why Family Matters (November 21, 2019)

‘Growing up in Care I Felt Voiceless. It’s Time I Use my Voice’ (Cabin Radio, December 2018)

7 Siblings Adopted Out of Foster Care Want to Share Their Story (Aleteia, January 2019)

Legislation and Regulation

Posted on August 2, 2018

Governments in Canada and the U.S. have a significant role to play in addressing gaps in the current Child Welfare system. Government leaders are urged to consider innovative legislative and regulatory levers to best serve the priority needs of youth in government care.

Early Learning Programs for Indigenous Kids get $30M Boost (Surrey Now Leader, May 2018)

Changes to Child Protection Act Greeted With Cautious Optimism (CBC News, May 2018)

Increase in Indigenous Candidates in Ontario Election (CBC News, May 2018)

Possibility of First Indigenous Mayor of Vancouver Prompts Call for More Diversity in City Politics (CBC News, May 2018)

Chiefs of Ontario Sign Joint Commitment on Policy and Funding Reform for First Nations Child and Family Services (Net News Ledger, May 2018)

NDP Bill Aims to Prevent Child Apprehensions Due to Poverty (CBC News, May 2018)

Ontario Strengthens Legislation for Child, Youth and Family Services (Ministry of Children and Youth Services, 2018)

Senators Recommend Delaying Cannabis Bill For a Year to Address Indigenous Issues (CBC News, May 2018)

Indigenous Leaders Hold Rare Special Meeting on Federal Legislation (APTN News, May 2018)

Trudeau Promises First Nations Leaders Fundamental Change (CBC News, May 2018)

Media statement on the proclamation of the new CYFSA (Ontario Child Advocate, April 2018)

Birth alerts have ended but babies still being apprehended in Manitoba: data (June 4 2022) –

What to Know About What’s Happening to Unaccompanied Minors at the Border (April 2, 2021) –

Thousands of Unaccompanied Children in Border Patrol Custody (January 6, 2021) –

U.S. Government Makes Significant Strides in Receiving Unaccompanied Children but Major Challenges Remain (May 2021) –

Hampered by the Pandemic: Unaccompanied Child Arrivals Increase as Earlier Preparedness Shortfalls Limit the Response (March 2021) –

Ontario Extends Moratorium on Youth Aging out of Care –

FEMA to help manage unaccompanied minors at US-Mexico border (March 13, 2021) –

How an overhaul of the child welfare system could keep more Mi’kmaw youth close to home (June 8, 2021) –

A Brief Legislative History of the Child Welfare System –

Responsibility for Unaccompanied Minors Act (March 16, 2021) –

International migration of unaccompanied minors: trends, health risks, and legal protection (August 18, 2021) –

Irwin Elman Wins the 2019 Lynn Factor Stand Up For Kids National Award for Changing Lives of Children in Child Welfare (September 2019)

Trudeau Commits to ‘Necessary Funding’ for Kids in Indigenous Communities During Saskatoon Town Hall (September 2019)

Southern Chiefs’ Organization Signs ‘Ground-breaking’ Child Welfare Agreement with Macdonald Youth Services (September 2019)

Federal Leaders’ Debate Indigenous Rights, Divided on UNDRIP (September 2019)

Children Being Rendered Invisible by Province, Former Ontario Child and Youth Advocate Says (September 2019)

Ottawa Willfully Discriminated Against First Nations Children. Silence is no Longer an Option (September 2019)

Child Welfare Ruling ‘Another Heartbreak’ for Indigenous People Ineligible for Compensation, B.C. Chief Says (September 2019)

First Nations Given Max Compensation for Ottawa’s Child Welfare Discrimination (September 2019)

Ontario Child Advocate Wonders Whether Doug Ford Just Made Your Children ‘Invisible Again’ (National Observer, April 2019)

Life After Foster Care: ‘Aging Out’ Doesn’t Mean That It’s Over (Chronicle of Social Change, April 2019)

Friday Marks the Last Day Ontario Will Have an Independent Child and Youth Advocate (CBC News, March 2019)

Fostering Change: Inside the Federal Government’s Big, Bold – and Potentially Messy – Plan for Overhauling How States Manage Child Welfare (Governing, March 2019)

Appeals Court Hears Case on Adoptions of Native Americans (National Post, March 2019)

Bill Would Boost Help for Oregon Youth Leaving Foster Care (KTVZ News, March 2019)

Government of Canada, Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Métis National Council Celebrate the Introduction of Bill C-92 (Government of Canada, Indigenous Services of Canada, February 2019)

‘We Cannot Let These Children Down’: Ottawa Unveils Indigenous Child Welfare Overhaul (CBC News, February 2019)

Optimism, Skepticism and Hope Greet Federal Child Welfare Bill in Manitoba (CBC News, March 2019)

FSIN Pleased with ‘Long Overdue’ Proposed Changes to Indigenous Child Welfare Systems (CBC News, March 2019)

Child Welfare Proposal Lacks Funds, Regional Chief (Dryden Now, March 2019)

Chiefs Reject Canada’s Child Welfare Law: Bill C-92 Fails to Address First Nations Jurisdiction (News Wire, March 2019)

Ottawa, Yukon Gov’t, First Nations Lay Groundwork for Changes to Child Care (CBC News, March 2019)

How to Fix Ottawa’s Indigenous Child Welfare Legislation (The Star, March 2019)

‘We Have a System in Crisis,’ says Brant Children’s Aid Society After Cuts Lead to 26 Workers Being Laid Off (The Star, March 2019)

Moe and STC Sign Agreements to Improve Indigenous Child Welfare (CTV News, March 2019)

Statement from Irwin Elman: Transition to the Ombudsman (Provincial Advocate, March 2019) Child Welfare Spending on First Nations Will Continue to Rise Without Changes (CBC News, February 2019)

Provincial Government Condemns Ottawa’s CFS plan: Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Also Slams Bill C-92 (Winnipeg Free Press, February 2019)

Liberals Table ‘Historic’ Indigenous Child Welfare Bill (CTV News, February 2019)

Indigenous Child Welfare Bill ‘Path-Breaking’ on Rights but Funding Still an Issue, say Child Advocates (CBC News, February 2019)

Government Makes Changes to Better Accommodate LQBTQ Youth in Foster Care Group Homes (Edmonton Journal, February 2019)

Manitoba Plans Block Funding of Child Welfare Agencies, Scrapping Per-Child Payments (CBC News, February 2019)

Questions Abound as Province Moves to Block Funding for Child Welfare (Winnipeg Sun, February 2019)

Changes in Funding to Give More Flexibility to Social Workers says Manitoba Government (The Star, February 2019)

Block Funding for Manitoba Social Workers to Provide Spending Flexibility (Global News, February 2019)

Liberals Facing Pushback on Indigenous Child Welfare Legislation (The Globe and Mail, February 2019)

Caregivers for B.C.’s Most Vulnerable get First Pay Increase in a Decade (Government of B.C., February 2019)

More Funds for Those Who Help Care for Foster Children, Disables Adults in B.C. (The Star, February 2019)

Bill C-92 Introduced in Parliament: An Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Children, Youth and Families (Government of Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, January 2019)

Ottawa’s Child Welfare Overhaul a ‘Significant Way Forward’ for Indigenous Youth, Advocate Says (CBC News, December 2018)

‘A Turning Point’: New Indigenous Child Welfare Legislation Will Save Lives says Philpott (APTN News, December 2018)

Axing Ontario’s Child Advocate Puts Our Most Vulnerable Kids at Even Greater Risk (The Globe and Mail, November 2018)

Ontario Pledges Commitment to Improve Care in the Child Protection System (Ontario, November 2018)

Government of Canada, with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation leaders, Announce Co-Developed Legislation Will be Introduced on Indigenous Child and Family Services in Early 2019 (Government of Canada, Indigenous Services of Canada, November 2018)

Ottawa to Hand Over Child Welfare Services to Indigenous Governments (CBC News, November 2018)

Mental Health

Posted on August 2, 2018

“The research has shown that the earlier we can intervene, particularly with evidence-based interventions, the better outcomes we see later on. The early years of childhood lay a foundation for future academic, social, emotional, and behavioural success. If we can teach children the skills they need in their formative years, they can carry these skills with them through their elementary years and beyond. On the other hand, if we ignore a problem a child is having, that problem can grow over time and become difficult to remediate.” – Danielle Rannazzisi, PhD [1]

Toronto 5-year Old Waiting 10 Months for Care (Children’s Mental Health Ontario, 2018)

How Family Separation Can Affect Kids’ Brains (NY Post, June 2018)

‘I’m in Crisis’ – Services Lacking for Teens with Serious Mental Health Issues (Windsor Star, May 2018)

Judge Darcy Urges Educators to Address ‘Very Big Gap’ in Youth Mental Health (The Star, May 2018)

New Mental Health and Addiction Plan to Address Service Gaps (Manitoba Post, May 2018)

Experiences and Perceptions of Indigenous Patients Connecting with Indigenous Elders in an Inner City Primary Care Partnership for Mental Health and Wellbeing (CMAJ, May 2018)

All Foster Carers Need Mental Health Training (Huffington Post, May 2018)

Why Early Intervention is so Important for Children’s Mental Health Issues (Health Line, May 2018)

Anishinaabe Police Officer Walking Across Canada for Indigenous Youth Mental Health (CBC News, May 2018)

Wait Times for Youth Mental-Health Services in Saskatchewan ‘Shameful’ (CJME, April 2018)

Province Developing Youth Suicide Prevention Plan (Calgary Herald, April 2018)

Losing Children to Foster Care Endangers Mothers’ Lives (National Post, March 2018)