Nunavut’s Family Services department has acknowledged providing inaccurate and unverified data regarding the number of children under its care, raising concerns about its ability to monitor these children effectively. Minister Gwen Healey Akearok stated that she was unaware of the incorrect figures initially reported by the department.
Initially, in August, the department informed CBC News that it had 251 children and youth in its care as of June 30. However, this figure was disputed by Nunavut’s representative for children and youth, Jane Bates, who found it suspiciously low. Subsequent requests for clarification revealed that the department had inaccurately reported the numbers, with the actual count being 440 children and youth in the department’s care as of June 30.
Critics, including Inuit advocate Manitok Thompson, expressed distrust in the department’s data accuracy, emphasizing the importance of not treating children as mere statistics. The department admitted that the erroneous figures provided to CBC News were not verified by its quality assurance team.
Ongoing issues with Nunavut’s Family Services have been highlighted in reports by the Auditor General of Canada since 2011, criticizing the department’s services for children and youth. Bates noted that the recommendations from these reports have not been fully implemented, leading to continued challenges in data management and child welfare services.
Concerns were raised by a community social services worker who believes that the department lacks an accurate count of children and youth under its care, leading to potential shortcomings in providing necessary support. They highlighted instances where children were placed in hotels due to a shortage of foster parents, indicating systemic issues within the department.
Minister Healey Akearok, unaware of the discrepancies in reported data, emphasized ongoing efforts to address the recommendations from the auditor general. However, staffing shortages and transitional challenges with data systems like Matrix have impacted the department’s ability to maintain accurate records.
Despite an increase in the number of children and youth receiving services from the department, Bates suggested that this may be attributed to heightened investigations into neglect and mistreatment rather than improved outreach. The department’s focus remains on children living away from their families and outside the territory, aiming to provide necessary support while enhancing data accuracy and monitoring functions.
The department has seen a rise in children being placed outside of Nunavut for care, prompting the introduction of measures to enhance care coordination and placement options closer to home. However, concerns persist regarding the cultural impact on children growing up away from their communities, with calls for more youth care facilities within Nunavut to preserve cultural heritage.
