TORONTO — Jane McKenna, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, released the following statement on steps taken to modernize Ontario’s child welfare system:

“One year ago, our government announced our vision for a redesigned child welfare system where youth and families receive services that are community-based, high quality, culturally appropriate and responsive, with a focus on prevention and early intervention.

Over the past 12 months we have worked closely with sector partners and stakeholders to shift investments from protection services to community-based prevention that better supports the unique needs of diverse kids and their families including Indigenous, Black, racialized and LGBTQ2S children and youth and those with special needs.

We are continuing to work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis and urban Indigenous partners to support their families and expand access to care that better reflects their customs, heritages and traditions. This year we invested $5 million to enhance access to customary care so children and youth can remain closely connected to their culture and community.

Other investments over the past year include:

• $6 million to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to develop and begin implementing their own Indigenous-led models for child and family services.
• This year the province designated Niijaansinaanik Child and Families Services as the 13^th Indigenous children’s aid society in Ontario, meaning that more Indigenous children and families will have access to culturally specific prevention and child protection services.
• $5.4 million to expand the Family Well-Being program designed to end violence against Indigenous women, reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous children and youth in child welfare and youth justice systems, and improve the overall health and well-being of Indigenous communities.
• $800,000 annually in One Vision One Voice, a community-led initiative with a focus on anti-Black racism, to support the delivery of safe and suitable services for African Canadian and Black children, youth and families.
• An additional $1.5 million in the Education Liaison program to improve educational outcomes for children and youth in care by supporting a full-time liaison in every children’s aid society.
• An extension of the moratorium on youth aging out of care until September 2022, including an investment of more than $8 million to better support youth who continue to receive service as a result of the moratorium.

Going forward we will continue to work collaboratively with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and Black and African-Canadian communities to build a system that supports diverse children, youth and families and keeps them connected to their communities and out of care, where safe to do so.

Our government is committed to achieving better opportunities and outcomes for all families. Ensuring they have access to supports and services that integrate their culture and traditions is a key part of this work.

Transforming Ontario’s child welfare system is an important, long-term undertaking, and in the journey ahead, children, youth and families will remain at the heart of everything we do.”