News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – A response was issued today by Families and Children Minister Stephen Horsman to the June 9 and June 20 recommendations from the Child Death Review Committee. The committee reviewed the deaths of five children whose families were known to Child Protection Services.

“I thank the members of the Child Death Review Committee for their recommendations,” said Horsman. “I also thank them for the important work they do to ensure our child welfare system responds to the needs of children and their families.”

Following are the recommendations from the Child Death Review Committee, along with the responses:

Recommendation #1

That the Department of Social Development review the current counselling program for children under permanent foster care and make enhancements necessary to assist them in every stage of grievance they might face, being a child not raised by his or her biological parent(s).

Response

The minister accepts this recommendation. The minister is responsible for meeting the needs of a child in care. Every child in care has a unique case plan that identifies those needs and how they are to be met. The case plan for a child in permanent care is reviewed and updated every three months in consultation with the team of departmental and community service providers involved with the child. The Child in Care Program Standards requires that case plans address the child’s unique physical, emotional, cultural and developmental needs.

Social workers with the Department of Social Development and First Nations Child and Family Services agencies receive a three-day training module on separation, placement and permanence, and training in case planning to enable them to identify trauma and loss and to develop a case plan that reflects the child’s unique needs and circumstances.

Recommendation #2 a)

That the Department of Social Development conduct a multidisciplinary conference prior to the consideration of reunification (including the police and a physician) when it involves a non-accidental injury to a child.

Response

The minister accepts this recommendation and will amend the Multiple Response Practice Standards in Child Protection and Family Enhancement Services to require a multidisciplinary case conference prior to reunification of a child who has experienced a non-accidental injury.

Recommendation #2 b)

That, when a child’s injury is noted by a social worker and the injury is significant enough that the child is taken to be seen by a physician, an intake should be done (without a referral source) or be written as an event in order to be mentioned in a permanency planning meeting.

Response

The minister accepts this recommendation. The Multiple Response Practice Standards in Child Protection and Family Enhancement Services will be amended to require that a new child protection intake is registered when an injury is noted by a social worker and is sufficiently significant that the child is taken to be seen by medical personnel. An intake requires that the situation be clearly documented and assessed in order to monitor the chronicity of the reports and effectiveness of interventions.

Recommendation #2 c)

That the results of the police investigation be communicated with the Department of Social Development when it involves a non-accidental injury to a child.

Response

The minister accepts the intent of this recommendation. The Department of Social Development will continue to work closely with police agencies so that all relevant information is shared in matters involving the safety and well-being of children.

Recommendation #2 d)

That, in cases where a child is under child protection, a mechanism be implemented between the departments of Health and Social Development to flag a child’s Medicare number in order for the caregiver (hospital emergency room or a physician at a clinic) to inform the Department of Social Development that the child was taken for treatment for an injury.

Response

The minister accepts the intent of this recommendation and is consulting with the health minister to develop a policy and procedure allowing the Medicare record and/or the child’s electronic health record to indicate that the child is receiving child protection services from Social Development. The minister of families and children will advise the Child Death Review Committee of the results of these consultations.

Any time staff in a hospital have concerns about the security or development of a child, they are obligated to report the concern to the department and the minister will take such steps as are necessary to ensure the security and development of the child.

Recommendation #2 e)

That, when a child has been a victim of a non-accidental injury and the perpetrator has not been identified from the household in which the injury occurred, the child should not be reunified until the perpetrator has been identified.

Response

The minister accepts the intent of this recommendation. In cases involving a non-accidental injury to a child where the perpetrator has not been identified following an investigation, the minister will develop a plan for the child using the collaborative approaches of family group conference, child protection mediation or a permanency planning conference. If the child’s parents are not in agreement with the plan, the minister will consult with family Crown counsel to determine if a court order is warranted.

Recommendation #2 f)

The committee supports the recommendations made by the Department of Social Development in its internal evaluation of this particular case.

Response

The minister commends the regional office for its plan to:

• update staff training and conduct annual reviews of the Multiple Response Practice Standards in Child Protection and Family Enhancement Services and the Structured Decision Making model;
• outline a process to conduct random clinical audits of child protection cases;
• request that a child be seen by a pediatrician when a medical examination is required and that a written report outlining the findings be provided; and
• request the outcome of the police investigation in writing upon completion of a joint investigation with police.

Recommendation #3

That, in all cases involving the death of a child, the coroner affixes photographs to his or her report.

Response

The minister supports the change in process in the coroner’s office.

Recommendation #4

That appropriate legislative amendments be made to allow full access to mental health records of children subject to review by the committee.

Response

The minister will co-operate with efforts to permit access to records of children subject to review by the Child Death Review Committee.

Recommendation #5 a)

That the Department of Social Development review its policy concerning the discharge followup of babies born to mothers who consumed drugs or were on methadone during the pregnancy and are being followed by the department.

Response

The minister accepts the intent of this recommendation and recognizes that infants born to mothers who used methadone during their pregnancy may require special care.

The minister of families and children will consult with the minister of health to determine the feasibility of developing a provincial protocol and will advise the Child Death Review Committee as to the results of this consultation.

The Department of Social Development has revised its policy and procedures with respect to expectant parents whose unborn child may be at risk due to a variety of circumstances, including prenatal drug or medication exposure. Expectant parents are first offered non-mandated birth parent services that provide information, support, assistance and pre-decision counselling that can assist mothers in giving birth to healthier babies. If these services are refused, an alert may be registered with the hospital requesting that the department is notified when the baby is born so that further assessment is made.

Any time staff in a hospital have concerns about the security or development of a child, they are obligated to report the concern to the department and the minister will take such steps as are necessary to ensure the security and development of the child.

Recommendation #5 b)

That every effort should be made to conduct a home visit to the family of these babies upon discharge.

Response

The minister accepts this recommendation. The Multiple Response Practice Standards in Child Protection and Family Enhancement Services require that when the minister receives a child protection referral that meets the mandate for a response, an investigation or assessment is commenced within the timeframes established in the Structured Decision Making Policy and Procedures manual.

The Multiple Response Practice Standards in Child Protection and Family Enhancement Services require that the child alleged to be the victim of abuse and/or neglect is seen within 24 hours of commencing a child protection investigation.

The committee reviews the deaths of children under the age of 19, including those who were in the legal care of the minister of social development, or whose families were in contact with the child protection system within 12 months before the child's death. One of the committee’s objectives is to make recommendations to prevent future deaths and improve services to children.

Horsman also said the departments of Social Development and Justice and Public Safety continue to examine the public reporting process. Discussions have been held with the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate and the access to information and privacy commissioner, and the government has committed to providing an update later this year.