EDMONTON – A report into the death of a two-year-old foster child released this week provides more evidence that the private model is not appropriate for protecting children who are at risk, says the president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

The report also shows that if private and for-profit agencies play a role in the delivery of important services, they must be carefully regulated and supervised by government, said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"It is the responsibility of the province to establish an efficient and effective, properly staffed and adequately funded system for approving, regulating and monitoring foster homes and protecting children in their care," said MacLennan.

"I hope that these concerns are properly answered in the review of the foster care system undertaken by the Children’s Services Ministry, which is expected to report in September," MacLennan said.

"The minister has stated that she takes this situation extremely seriously," he added. "At AUPE we will be talking to our members involved in the front-line delivery of child care services to ensure that the review contains their input.

"Cutbacks and the regionalization of services have contributed to the situation described in this inquiry," MacLennan said. "For the sake of children in care, appropriate funding and standards need to be restored and put into operation everywhere in Alberta."

The public inquiry into the death of Korvette Lynn Crier took place in Red Deer in September and November 2001, presided over by Judge David Plosz. Its findings were released on Tuesday.

Korvette died in August 1999 from a head injury suffered when she was pushed by her foster mother – apparently in a fit of temper. The foster mother was subsequently sentenced to two years in jail for manslaughter and is now on probation.

Judge Plosz found evidence of inefficiency, poor communications among agencies, overworked caseworkers, high staff turnover, heavy caseloads, and inconsistent screening of prospective foster parents.

None of the agencies involved in the apprehension or fostering of the dead child and her two siblings were Crown agents of the Children’s Services Ministry, and all were private, the judge’s report said.

The report stated that testimony from the senior manager responsible for standards and quality assurance for the ministry "disclosed that the delivery of child welfare services in this province is a labyrinth consisting of the aforementioned ministry, together with its Crown agents, many private agencies, both for profit and non-profit, an independent body called the Alberta Association of Services to Children and Families (AASCF) which is itself comprised of some 80 or 90 agencies across Alberta, plus a board called the Child Welfare Certification and Accreditation Board (CWCAB) comprised of some 12 or 13 people, which is independent but still part of AASCF."

Testimony also showed that authorities at the ministry were not aware one of the three agencies involved in the case operated a foster home program, let alone how it screened prospective foster parents.

Workers involved in the case were "terribly overworked. … There was a constant turnover of staff that resulted in a shortage of workers, which in turn resulted in heavy caseloads for each worker."

A case manager was appointed even though she lacked qualifications for the job, and had applied for a lesser position.

Important information about the foster home – such as the fact the mother held a part-time job and the father was seldom there – was unknown to the agencies involved, the inquiry reported.

In his report, Judge Plosz recommended:

" Identical screening standards for all foster parents, whether they are in government-approved or privately run homes. " That all non-government agencies operating foster homes be registered with the ministry before starting operation. " That there be unannounced inspection visits to foster homes. " That the government set criteria for screening prospective foster homes and that they should be uniform throughout the province. " That since evidence suggests delivery of foster care was "too compartmentalized and distant from the eyes of the ministry" the ministry should "play a more direct role in overseeing its operation."

For more information, contact:

Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)

Anyone who wants a copy of the full fatality inquiry report should contact Alberta Justice Communications at 780-427-8530.

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