The provincial Deparment of Social Development is currently engaged in a review process of the existing Child in Care Standards. As a way of including youth in care in the development of these standards, the Department recently agreed to allow the NBYICN to develop a series of consultation sessions for our peers in and from care.
Over the next three months, our NBYICN coordinator and other members of our Partners For Youth staff team will be on the road, engaging youth in care in communities throughout the province. 15 such sessions are planned in total, as well as a number of smaller occasions.
What are the Child in Care Standards?
Youth who find themselves under the permanent care (guardianship) of the New Brunswick Department of Social Development are provided with a designated social worker who acts as their legal guardian on behalf of the provincial government. In order to fulfill their obligations with the utmost level of professionalism and consistency, these social workers are provided with a set of procedural guidelines to follow. These guidelines, known as the Child in Care Standards, are meant to provide guidance on a wide variety of topics related to this line of work as a social worker for youth in care.
Should you contribute to the discussion?
If you are someone who is or was in care in New Brunswick, we would very much love to hear from you. Similarly, if you are someone who works with youth in care in some capacity, and who feels you have something that would help us in this project, we welcome your comments as well. If you are unable to join one of our sessions, or if you were not provided with information on the session in time to sign up, contact us for information on how you can contribute.
What will we do with this information?
In the fall of 2016, the NBYICN and its governing agency, Partners For Youth Inc., will publish a report detailing the findings of this project. To stay informed on the process, sign up for our e-bulletin. You can also follow us on Twitter and follow the NBYICN on Facebook.
A note on guardianship vs temporary care
As they stand, the child in care standards are intended only for social workers who work with youth in guardianship care. They do not currently apply in cases of youth who are under temporary care agreements or orders.