CANADA, July 11 - More than 99% of children and youth in care are being visited by child protection workers at least once every 90 days, according to an independent third-party report.
The report was commissioned in fall 2023 to help the Ministry of Children and Family Development determine the number of children and youth in care who receive private, in-person visits according to policy. The review process included interviewing workers at four locations in the province and assessing a random sample of 582 case files from June through August 2023.
The report also outlines opportunities for the ministry to improve its visitation practices, such as clarifying policy on performing and documenting visitations, and enhancing supports for new technology, which was introduced in fall 2023 and allows for real-time reporting. The ministry is already working on these key actions.
Visits between workers and the children and youth they support are key to building a connection and assessing their overall safety and well-being. It is critical these relationships develop so children and youth in care can feel comfortable with their worker and know their experiences and feelings are being heard and understood. The visits help build trust and familiarity, offer opportunities for conversations about school, mental health and relationships, and support children and youth to develop connections and feel a sense of belonging to community, culture, people and places.
Improving visitation practice to support frequent, meaningful connections with children and youth in care is a top priority of the ministry. Policy and practice changes and improvements to documentation will continue to be assessed to make sure they are having the intended effect of strengthening the safety and wellness of children and youth in care.
