Deaths of Children in BC's Foster System

This is an outstanding article about BC's child welfare system and the many tragedies that have befallen far too many children. I wish we could get this right. As many of us know, the child welfare system doesn't have to be like this. There are solutions and best practices, but the change necessary is monumental in some ways, because it involves culture change on Ministry and governmental levels.  

Near Daily, a Child Dies or Is Hurt in Care of Province

Reports reveal unbroken toll of tragedy among children and youth.

By Pieta Woolley, Today, TheTyee.ca

Between June 2007 and September 2012, according to B.C.'s Representative for Children and Youth, 504 children and youth perished while receiving care. Some were in foster care; others were receiving or had recently received services from the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD), or a Delegated Aboriginal Agency. Over the same period, there were 1,136 critical injuries. (At any given time, approximately 10,000 B.C. kids are in care.) 

About every four days, in other words, a child or youth in the care of B.C. dies (including those who have received services within the last year). And at least every two days, one is critically injured. Kids and teens in care are about four times more likely to die than other B.C. young people, according to another public report.

Read the whole story here.