Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I talked about Child and Family Services training. I'd like to ask the Minister a few questions on that. Can the Minister expand on the curriculum and its requirements such as duration of the training completion requirements, like pass and fail, what would happen, and if there are any plans for refresher requirements? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the culture awareness training that the Member is speaking about is for Child and Family Services statutory appointed child protection workers and adoption workers. It includes a mix of infield community Indigenous engagement orientation followed up by in-person classroom-based core training with elders and educators, and then follow-up and an after-engagement infield engagement which is usually or is intended to be evaluated by the regional supervisor and supported by the department's practice specialist.
Mr. Speaker, there is some upfront work that we require our staff to do; a number of reading modules that they are expected to complete before they go to the in-class orientation and training session, and then there's also some after training which is 30 to 60 days. There are a number of follow-ups every year, training sessions, three to four training sessions held in the Northwest Territories every year that individuals can attend for refreshers if needed. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.
If we know the commonalities between the families with children in care we can act on addressing them. I'd like to ask the Minister: what information, such as household income, does Health and Social Services collect on the families of children in care?
Income is assessed on a case-by-case basis and it is not something that is currently collected within the Child and Family Services information system. A Child and Family Services file may contain information on a family's financial situation only if that information is shared by the family for the purpose of care planning and assessment of the family needs.
For example, Mr. Speaker, if a family identifies that they are an income assistance recipient, then this information can be documented and may help in planning. There are situations, Mr. Speaker, where the incumbent would formally collect information on the family's income, and that would be in a case where a family is coming in for a voluntary services agreement and it's identified that one of the challenges they're facing is income or inability to pay some of their bills.
I indicated in my Member's statement that 8 per cent of the families with children in care were actually income issues, but I would guess that it would be a lot higher; but there are other reasons for the child apprehension or child protection laws. I was wondering if the Minister could commit to always getting the income of the household where there is a Child and Family Services case too?
The Member references the fact that 8 per cent of children in fire/police referrals are for financial assistance; that number is actually taken from the director's report that was issued to the Members a number of months ago. Of a total of 2,309 referrals in 2015-16, 184 were for financial reasons. We've reviewed those, and typically what those referrals are when they occur is that the family is not eligible for, or rather, has already spent this month's financial assistance and they need assistance with food, clothing, or rent, which is something under the new system we can actually do. When it comes to collecting financial information, Mr. Speaker, as I already said, it is based on a case-by-case basis. The Child and Family Services information doesn't have an entry port for financial information.
To the Member's point, we do know that poverty is an issue in the Northwest Territories and it can be part of the reason somebody might be engaging the Child and Family information system. In fact, national research does establish a link between poverty and the need for Child and Family Services.
To be clear, Mr. Speaker, poverty is not the strongest link, according to much of the research out there. Research has shown that stronger links are being a victim of domestic violence, alcohol abuse, having few social supports, and a parent having been maltreated as a child. These, Mr. Speaker, are the strongest links leading to families coming into contact with Child and Family Services. These are the issues that we are working to address at a territorial level.
While poverty is an important consideration for the government as a whole, there are other and more important factors that the department has to attend to, such as reducing domestic violence, reducing addictions, and helping families build stronger support networks. Mr. Speaker, this is the premise and the foundation of Building Stronger Families.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for that answer. It would be good if the department could look into more income. To another question, foster parent and foster home screening was flagged by the Auditor General in the 2014 report. I understand that internal reviews show that the issues continue to challenge family services. What changes to a foster parents screening can we expect this spring? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we brought in Building Stronger Families, it was a five-year implementation plan and, in a fundamental way, a new way of providing child and family services in the Northwest Territories. The Foster Family Coalition has been an important partner moving forward. They provide significant training within their own organization of families who want to be foster families, to help them prepare. One of the recommendations that came out of the review, the Child and Family Services Review, was to expedite the process for family members who want to foster family members to go through that process. We have already made changes to expedite those referral processes.
We are always working with the Foster Family Coalition to enhance the training that they provide to the foster families. We are going to continue to do those types of things as new ways of doing business, new ideas, new concepts come forward.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
