Indigenous youth who died in government care failed by the system, says new report

The life storyof an Indigenous teenwho died whilein government care on Vancouver Island is an example of how the child welfare system is failing Indigenous children and youth by not providing culturally relevant support, according to a new report from British Columbia'sChildren and Youth Representative.

Skye (no last name provided) died of an overdoseon her 17th birthday in August 2017 in Nanaimo.

At the time of her death, the Dene teenhad been in care in B.C. for 12 years, had been moved 15 times, lived in eightdifferent foster homes, attended eightdifferent schools, had 18 different social workers and was the subject of three failed adoptions.

Her mother, who had been taken from her family during the Sixties Scoop before she turnedone,died a yearearlier of a suspected overdose.

Skye's legacy

EntitledSkye's Legacy: AFocus on Belonging, the report paints a picture of a loving and happy child whose mother was dealing with trauma and addiction rootedinoppressive colonial practices.

It sayswhen Skye came under the care of the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD),there was an over- emphasis on finding her an adoptive homeinstead of supporting a potential return to her mother, or finding ways the parent and child could maintain a relationship.

"...in Skye's case, the strong push for adoption that characterized B.C.'s child-serving system at the time resulted in three failed attempts to place her with a permanent 'forever family'and left her disconnected from her birth family, community and culture," reads the report.

"Rather than facilitate belonging for her, this process played a role in preventing it."

Colonialism and intergenerational damage

Jennifer Charlesworth, B.C.'s Representative for Children and Youth, said intergenerational damage caused by the historic and ongoing role of colonialism looms large, not only in Skye's case but in the story of somany Indigenous children and youth in care.

"Skye and her mother deserved much, much better," said Charlesworth. "It's heartbreaking that neither of them received the kind of foundational supports that might have enabled them to deal with the trauma they had experienced and, at the very least, to have a relationship with each other."

Charlesworth says B.C.'s child welfare system needs to do a better job helping First Nations, Mtis, Inuit and urban Indigenous children connect to family and culture,developa sense of belonging and a positive sense of self.

In Skye's case, she was never giventhe opportunity to connect to her Dene culture or tovisit her home Teetlit Gwich'in Band in Fort McPherson, N.W.T., even though she asked for both.

3 recommendations

The report makes three recommendations:

• MCFDconduct a systemic needs analysis of cultural and family support resources required to ensure social workers are supported in promoting a sense of belonging and identity for First Nations,Mtis, Inuit and urban Indigenous children and youth in care.
• MCFD review and revise all relevant care-planning and case management standards and practices toalign with the goals of the report.
• MCFD distribute the report to all staff who work with children and youth in care or who may come into care, and then meaningfully engage in bringing change.

In response,the minister of Children and Family Development said more needs to be done to support the goals outlined in the report.

"The child welfare system is overly involved in the lives of Indigenous children and families," said Mitzi Dean. "This dates back to residential schools, is part of the damaging colonial legacy that continues to this day and it needs to stop."

Charlesworthsaid the report should beespecially relevant given thepreliminary findings that suggest215 children are buried at the site of the former Kamloops Indian residential school.

"Skye's storylifts up and reinforces all that has been coming to light in the past two weeksand all that the elders, matriarchs, leaders, survivors and family members have been saying: that the impact of settler colonialism and assimilation and elimination practices ... continues to affect the well-being of Indigenouschildren, youth and families," she said.

B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau said she's disappointed in the recommendations.

She said the reportstates that the representative strongly supports First Nations, Mtis and Inuit communities resuming jurisdiction over their child welfare, but all the recommendations are focused on the MCFD.

"I think the recommendation really should have been to move with urgency on restoring jurisdiction to First Nations, Mtis and Inuit communities over their children," Furstenausaid,adding that this was called for in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report and by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls' finalreport.

"Instead of putting more funds and more finances into MCFD, overseeing itself and reviewing itself ... let's instead say in this moment where we are today in Canada, we have to stop this practice of removing Indigenous children from their families, from their communities."