July 25, 1996

                    NEW DIRECTION ANNOUNCED
                  IN CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

Manitoba Family Services will soon be embarking on a new direction to
preserve and support Manitoba families, Family Services Minister Bonnie
Mitchelson announced today.

"Despite our best efforts, Manitoba's rate of children in care is still
unacceptably high," said Mitchelson.  "We must put even more effort into
addressing the problem through the collective efforts of individuals,
communities and government.  Government cannot do it alone and we intend
to tap the resources of our communities to assist in supporting and
preserving Manitoba families."

A policy document entitled "Families First:  New Directions for
Strengthening the Partnership" will be distributed throughout the child
welfare system and the community.  The document will set out the guiding
principles behind the delivery of child and family services in Manitoba. 
It will also outline specific initiatives that will provide increased
community partnerships, new service standards, permanent homes for
children and a strengthened Child and Family Services Act.

The "Families First" document will be designed to set out several areas
where new directions and initiatives will be developed to help Manitoba
families deal with problems and stay together.

Protecting Manitoba Children

A plan will be developed to protect children from abuse and neglect while
also supporting their families and helping them carry out their
responsibilities.  Major elements of this plan will include:

- piloting a community based panelling process for participation in the 
  development of an appropriate safety plan for children at risk;

- increasing public access to non-case-specific recommendations from child 
  welfare reviews and investigations;

- establishing community based mediation services;

- reviewing, monitoring and enforcing service standards;

- instituting compliance audits to ensure appropriate services are 
  delivered to families and children;

- implementing a consistent risk estimation system to help workers assess 
  children that may be at risk.

Enhancing Opportunities for Placement in a Permanent Home

The child and family services system will promote a stable environment for
children through enhanced opportunities for placement in a permanent home. 
New initiatives will include:

- developing alternative approaches for individual case planning for 
  children and families;

- working to ensure permanent placements for children in family homes;

- ensuring integrated and co-ordinated support for the adoption of special 
  needs children; and

- promoting and encouraging flexibility between open and closed adoptions 
  to provide appropriate and sufficient information disclosure to adoptive 
  parents.

Strengthening the Partnership

The health and well-being of Manitoba families is a responsibility shared
by all Manitobans.  In keeping with this concept, new community approaches
will be developed to help support families.  They will include:

- identifying and co-ordinating neighbourhood resources that could be used 
  when placing children in care;

- using neighbourhood based helping networks to provide services to 
  families; 

- encouraging the development of neighbourhood service banks where 
  families can exchange services or skills; and

- including the family network where appropriate in the decision making 
  process regarding placement or development of support plans.

Strengthening Legislation Through Community Consultations

A committee, chaired by River Heights MLA Mike Radcliffe, will travel the
province in the fall to conduct the most thorough review, in recent years,
of Manitoba's Child and Family Services Act.  The review will focus on two
major areas: protecting children and strengthening families, and choosing
adoptions.  The committee will meet with people interested in child
welfare and listen to their ideas and suggestions.  A consultation
workbook is being developed for use at these meetings.

Mitchelson said these new directions will build on the many initiatives
already undertaken by the provincial government which provide a foundation
for change.  They include:

- the Children and Youth Secretariat;

- the Children's Advocate;

- the Family Support Innovations Fund;

- the Adoption Initiative;

- training programs for child and family services workers;

- listing third-party offenders on the child abuse registry; and

- strengthening maintenance enforcement legislation so children and 
  families receive the support to which they are entitled.

"We are committed to bringing all Manitobans together to help find and
implement solutions for children at risk," the minister said.  "I
challenge the entire community to get involved in the implementation of
programs that will both protect and promote the wellness of Manitoba
families."
RETURN