Loophole lets foster child deaths to go unreported

June 03, 2011

Alberta’s NDP Opposition children and youth services critic Rachel Notley is calling for the Tories to end the secrecy around foster child deaths and injuries following the uncovering of two deaths kept secret by the ministry.

“The Tories use privacy legislation as a political screen to avoid tough questions. The public’s right to know is not even considered in the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act when a foster child dies. The minister must make appropriate changes so she’s accountable to Albertans,” Notley says. “Albertans have a responsibility to children in care through the government. Knowing the circumstances around a foster child’s death or injury is necessary to make sure we’re being the best caregivers possible.

“It’s in the interest of all foster children that we learn from incidents like these. We can know about the circumstances surrounding a case without identifying those involved. There’s no excuse for the PCs’ secrecy on the matter.”

Notley says the Act should require the minister to report publicly any serious injuries or deaths in care as soon as possible. The minister should be obliged to provide as much detail about the case to the public as possible without identifying the identities of those involved. As well, any internal review around ministry actions connected with the child’s death or serious injury should be published. These changes would accompany the longstanding call by Alberta’s NDP to make the Children’s Advocate of Alberta an office of the legislature, not reporting to the minister.