Innu children continue to be disproportionately represented in the child protection system, although the rate of their removal from homes has significantly decreased compared to almost ten years ago. This information was revealed in a recent report presented during the public inquiry on Innu experiences within the child protection system in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The report, conducted by social work professors Barbara Fallon and Tara Black from the University of Toronto, indicated that in 2018-19, Innu children were 6.76 times more likely to be taken out of their homes. However, this figure has substantially dropped to 1.55 in the latest fiscal year. The shift is attributed to a focus on providing support services to families in their homes to minimize placing children in care.
The inquiry, initiated in 2017 following the tragic suicide of a 16-year-old Natuashish boy involved in the child protection system, has been ongoing since 2023. As part of the inquiry, circle hearings examined the circumstances surrounding the deaths of six youths between 2015 and 2021, most of whom had experienced periods of being removed from their homes, with some sent out of the province for care.
Investigative reports highlighted the challenges these youths faced upon returning home, such as feeling disconnected from their culture, struggling with language loss, and finding it hard to reintegrate into their families. The report unveiled a shift towards placing Innu children with extended family members (kinship care) rather than in foster care, but it raised concerns about the adequacy of support, training, and cultural appropriateness in these placements.
Despite a significant decrease in the removal of Innu children from their homes, the number of child protection investigations involving Innu families has risen over the same period. Social workers are increasingly initiating investigations upon receiving referrals, with Innu families being 2.87 times more likely to undergo investigation in 2024-25 compared to non-Indigenous families.
The report also noted a reduction in false positive cases where no maltreatment was found, but an increase in false negatives for Innu families, indicating potential missed child protection concerns. This trend has raised alarms among researchers Fallon and Black regarding the unintended consequences of efforts to reduce over-investigation.
Retired Judge Bill English, who presented findings on the challenges faced by Innu parents in the family court system before the inquiry commissioners, highlighted issues such as court delays, language barriers, and lack of legal representation for parents. English emphasized the need for expanded legal aid eligibility for Innu parents involved in child protection cases to ensure fair representation and adequate support throughout legal proceedings.
English’s report also emphasized the importance of studying child protection hearing timelines to address delays in court proceedings and ensure timely interventions in child protection cases. The recommendations put forth aim to improve access to legal representation and streamline the family court process for Innu families facing child protection issues.