Review of Brandon foster care program slow to start

A joint provincial and child welfare agency review of a Brandon foster care program was ordered last May after two serious incidents involving youth in care, but it appears the review has still not begun, CBC News has learned.

The review of the Dourado Specialized Foster Home program was called following media reports of the beating of a respite worker at one of the Brandon foster homes, as well as a fire at a barn at another foster home near Souris.

​The province said in a statement that Dakota Ojibway Child and Family Services requested a joint review that included DOCFS, the Southern First Nations Network of Care, and the Child Protection Branch of the provincial family services department.

But even though the province claims the review is underway, the Dakota Ojibway agency says the review’s terms of reference have not been finalized.

Jim Compton, spokesperson for Southern First Nations Network of Care, told CBC News last week they are "still working on terms of reference and framework" for the review of the program.

A spokesperson for Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross said the scope of the review will include:

• Financial
• Governance
• Licensing of the foster homes
• Programming
• Human resource management
• Policies and procedures

"I trust that they're going to be doing the review, finding the information, and following the recommendations to ensure that children that are in our care are receiving the best quality of care possible," Irvin-Ross told CBC News.

The minister’s spokesperson said the review is expected to be finished this summer.

"This review is underway and will ensure appropriate care of youth, training of support and respite workers, and ensure the needs of the children/youth are being addressed as part of a formal care plan," said a statement from the province.

​Jesse Dourado, Program Manager for Specialized Foster Homes, referred CBC News to DOCFS for information.

"If there is a review, we’re excited about it. We would be happy to be reviewed," Dourado said.

DOCFS licenses 10 foster homes in the program with 27 beds, the province said.

The program is meant to care for western Manitoba youth who have the most complex issues, some of whom either had difficulty attending the regular school system or have been expelled.

Compton said since the program started in 2008, 14 youths have graduated from high school.

"The majority of children who aged out are doing well to date. The stabilization of the children is the success of the children. Within the next year, six high risk youth will receive their high school diploma," Compton said in an email.

He said each home has a foster parent and three to four respite and support workers.

In Brandon, local residents have raised concerns about safety and crime related to the foster homes. Progressive Conservative family services critic Ian Wishart said he has concerns about oversight of the program and the adequacy of training for its staff.

"We're hearing some concerns that this is a long term problem," Wishart said in an interview with CBC News.

"We're also concerned that there's lack of oversight from the province as to whether these group homes are functioning as they're intended," he said, adding he fears the foster homes may not be meeting the needs of the youths in care.

"Certainly [there’s] concern that they're not getting the supports that they need."

Neither the family services department nor the CFS agencies agreed to an interview about the program review, despite several requests from CBC News.