Manitoba’s CFS to stop housing kids in hotels in June

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This article was published 31/03/2015 (3305 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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Family Services Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross said today her department will stop using hotels to house kids in care as of June 1.

Irvin-Ross’s deadline comes in the wake of an attack early today on a young girl in Winnipeg’s downtown. Irvin-Ross confirmed the teenager was under the care of Child and Family Services, but was being temporarily housed in a downtown hotel.

“I’m saddened and outraged by this attack on a vulnerable child,” an emotional Irvin-Ross said from a prepared statement. “It is infuriating that there are people out there who would prey upon an innocent child. My heart goes out to the young girl and my prayers are with her and her family.

“I’m deeply troubled that this would happened to a child in the care of Child and Family Services. We have a responsibility to protect children in our care and provide them with places of safety.”

She said the incident served as a catalyst for the government to move faster on its plan to phase out the use of hotels as shelters for at-risk children. Late last year Irvin-Ross said the province would phase out the use of hotels, but did not give a deadline.

The plan includes the creation of 71 emergency foster-home spaces and the hiring of 210 child-care workers over two years to reduce the government’s reliance on hotels as emergency shelters.

“While we’re phasing out the use of hotels we will ensure that the children that are in a hotel as a last resort will receive appropriate support, supervision and counseling,” she said.

Irvin-Ross said as of today, nine children were currently placed in hotels, but the number fluctuates depending on the number of kids coming into care.

Winnipeg police continue to investigate the attack that happened near the Cityplace parkade at about 4:45 a.m. A block of Hargrave Street between Graham Avenue and St. Mary Avenue has been closed all day as police collect forensic evidence. No one has been arrested.

Police were alerted to the attack when someone flagged down a passing police cruiser car. She was suffering from serious injuries and was transported to hospital in critical condition.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477(TIPS) or investigators at 204-986-6508.

Despite seeing a decline in the number of kids in hotels, Family Services has recently seen the numbers climb.

The most recent spike in hotel use is occurring as the number of kids in the care of family services agencies in Manitoba continues to soar.

In January, the number stood at an all-time high of 10,673 – a jump of more than 400 compared with a year earlier.

Last March, the province reported an average of 65 CFS-apprehended children were being housed in city hotels while awaiting a more permanent placement. That was the highest level recorded since 2007.

The Opposition Conservatives have said national police statistics show girls are six times more likely to be reported missing in Manitoba than in other parts of Canada. The majority of these kids are in the care of Child and Family Services.

The Winnipeg Police Service receives about 6,500 missing-person reports each year. Most are vulnerable youth in CFS care.

The Tories said while the problem is easing across Canada, it is worsening in Manitoba. Between 2010 and 2014, the total number of reported missing children and youth increased 22 per cent in Manitoba, while the Canadian average saw a 20 per cent decline, they said.

The Free Press first investigated the CFS practice of placing children in hotels in 2006.

As a result of the investigation by reporter Mia Rabson, former Family Services Minister Gord Mackintosh pledged in November 2006 to end the practice by July 1, 2007.