Province introduces new guardianship program to help Manitoba children
A new guardianship program was announced on Thursday by the provincial government along with the General Child and Family Services (CFS) Authority.
Families Minister Rochelle Squires and Jay Rodgers, the CEO of General CFS Authority, made the announcement, with Squires saying this program will help "ensure that children grow up with their family members."
It is designed for those kids who are permanent wards or when a CFS agency is seeking a permanent order.
Squires said guardianship will be granted to family members who have been looking after the child for six months continuously or it can also be granted to another adult that the family and child view as family if they have been looking after the child for 24 continuous months.
She added that guardianship is approved by the child's culturally appropriate authority.
Rodgers said it is important that children grow up with family, as it has many benefits.
"This is good for kids," said Rodgers. "If kids grow up in a loving, stable, family home, they are more likely to have longer term positive health outcomes than if they don't grow up with family."
He added that research also shows that with guardianship programs, kids are less likely to go back into care and they are more likely to thrive as adults.
Rodgers said financial aid is available for those caregivers to make sure the needs of the kids are met and Squires noted the government is providing funding to each agency based on their specific needs.
The program is expected to take effect in the fall, with Rodgers noting training for staff needs to be done first, before the program goes live.
"We have been working very closely with our agencies on how best to implement this program. Agencies will likely be creating, at least initially, dedicated staff to implement the program. We can do that with the resources that we have. I don't think this is going to mean a substantial increase in workload."
The province said guardians are responsible for "ensuring a child's physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs are met at all times."
It added they are also in charge of making important decisions such as where to go to school, what recreational activities they participate in, medical treatments and day-to-day living.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.