It's too bad when MCFD was reasoning out why they wanted to waste so much money on accreditation that they didn't factor in upholding their actual mandate of protecting and supporting at-risk children, youth and families with their plan to spend millions on "maximizing the quality of the service delivered on its behalf to the public." More wasted taxpayer funds while the system crumbled around the Empresses of MCFD who didn't know, or care what's been happening to the kids. How many years in and how many millions spent? Taxpayers deserve an answer to those questions.
Ms. Sowden hit the nail on the head - this is a matter of great expense. When the BC Liberals came into government in 2001, the Secure Care Act was scrapped. It will cost millions to create the infrastructure for such a program and the money would be much better spent actually funding a functional, ethical and responsible child & youth welfare system. The BC Liberals don't want to do that and they definitely aren't going to move forward right now sinking millions into this.
Within MCFD, they are very quietly scrapping programs which have cost taxpayers millions of dollars. A specific example of this waste and monumental mismanagement of taxpayer funds is the current move to stop accreditation. This money will never be recouped and has essentially been flushed down the toilet by the clowns in charge. Think lots of nice catered lunches, at fancy hotels and money poured into an American accreditation agency for absolutely nothing.
They're also preparing to slash even more frontline jobs and make practice changes that are going to further diminish the capacity of the child welfare system to protect children, they gave up long ago even pretending to care about, or protect youth. Look for even more pain ahead for BC's young people and their battered families.
Most of us will thankfully never know the pain and heartbreak of watching helplessly as our child becomes addicted, getting sucked into the underworld, the street, getting sexually exploited and losing their innocence, becoming one of "those people" you see on the 6'o clock news. Those parents and family members who have been through it find out quickly that the government will not lift a finger to help. You get what you vote for. Remember that next time.
Earlier this month, Public Eye reported the provincial government could introduce legislation allowing authorities to detain at-risk youths against their will. But the Liberals gave no indication they might pass such a law during the election campaign. When asked by the Children of the Streets Society whether their party would "advocate and assist in the development of regulations, policies and procedures to implement a Secure Care Act," the Liberals stated they would be "prepared to listen" to the group's "perspective on this issue."
Children of the Streets Society executive director Diane Sowden said yesterday introducing legislation allowing authorities to detain at-risk youth in secure care facilities could be a costly exercises. And, according Ms. Sowden, it's one that won't work unless the government funds support services for youths that will prevent the need to detain them. Speaking on Public Eye Radio, she said, "When you're talking about the services for secure care, it's not just the ability to apprehend and hold a young person. There has to be a continuum of services. And that isn't in place yet. And that has to run from prevention to safe care and everything in between."
********************* Sure to disappear soon from MCFD's website: About Accreditation
Third-party accreditation guides human service organizations in the development and maintenance of interrelated accountability and quality improvement systems. Through meeting organizational and program standards, organizations are supported in the delivery and continuous improvement of safe, effective and efficient services. Accrediting bodies continuously gain feedback from consumers, stakeholders, professionals and associations to ensure that the accreditation standards and review processes reflect current international best practices.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development and Community Living British Columbia are committed to maximizing the quality of the service delivered on its behalf to the public. Accreditation status indicates that the accredited organization has achieved an appropriate level of organizational proficiency and that it has reliable mechanisms in operation to continually improve the quality of services it delivers.
The Guide to Accreditationprovides an overview of accreditation as a quality assurance mechanism for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The overview includes the ministry policy, summarizes the benefits of accreditation and provides a comprehensive list of questions and answers about everything you wanted to know about accreditation.
From the Guide:
Accreditation is generally accepted as a quality assurance mechanism.Compliance with comprehensive standards has a high probability of contributing to or resulting in good service quality. Quality assurance techniques facilitate the development of management controls and organizational skills required for consistent, client-focused, deliberate service delivery activities and to prevent organizational or service delivery problems. In addition, accrediting bodies require activities that go beyond maintenance of quality to the continuous improvement of quality.
Ministry of Children and Family Development Accreditation Policy (revised August 2006)
The Ministry of Children and Family Development (the ministry) is committed to maximizing the quality of the services delivered on its behalf to the public. Accreditation indicates that the accredited organization has achieved an appropriate level of organizational competence and that it has reliable mechanisms in operation to continually improve the quality of its service delivery.
It's too bad when MCFD was reasoning out why they wanted to waste so much money on accreditation that they didn't factor in upholding their actual mandate of protecting and supporting at-risk children, youth and families with their plan to spend millions on "maximizing the quality of the service delivered on its behalf to the public." More wasted taxpayer funds while the system crumbled around the Empresses of MCFD who didn't know, or care what's been happening to the kids. How many years in and how many millions spent? Taxpayers deserve an answer to those questions.
*************
Comments for Public Eye Online, see stories below:
Ms. Sowden hit the nail on the head - this is a matter of great expense. When the BC Liberals came into government in 2001, the Secure Care Act was scrapped. It will cost millions to create the infrastructure for such a program and the money would be much better spent actually funding a functional, ethical and responsible child & youth welfare system. The BC Liberals don't want to do that and they definitely aren't going to move forward right now sinking millions into this.
Within MCFD, they are very quietly scrapping programs which have cost taxpayers millions of dollars. A specific example of this waste and monumental mismanagement of taxpayer funds is the current move to stop accreditation. This money will never be recouped and has essentially been flushed down the toilet by the clowns in charge. Think lots of nice catered lunches, at fancy hotels and money poured into an American accreditation agency for absolutely nothing.
They're also preparing to slash even more frontline jobs and make practice changes that are going to further diminish the capacity of the child welfare system to protect children, they gave up long ago even pretending to care about, or protect youth. Look for even more pain ahead for BC's young people and their battered families.
Most of us will thankfully never know the pain and heartbreak of watching helplessly as our child becomes addicted, getting sucked into the underworld, the street, getting sexually exploited and losing their innocence, becoming one of "those people" you see on the 6'o clock news. Those parents and family members who have been through it find out quickly that the government will not lift a finger to help. You get what you vote for. Remember that next time.
Listen and learn
Earlier this month, Public Eye reported the provincial government could introduce legislation allowing authorities to detain at-risk youths against their will. But the Liberals gave no indication they might pass such a law during the election campaign. When asked by the Children of the Streets Society whether their party would "advocate and assist in the development of regulations, policies and procedures to implement a Secure Care Act," the Liberals stated they would be "prepared to listen" to the group's "perspective on this issue."Security deposit
Children of the Streets Society executive director Diane Sowden said yesterday introducing legislation allowing authorities to detain at-risk youth in secure care facilities could be a costly exercises. And, according Ms. Sowden, it's one that won't work unless the government funds support services for youths that will prevent the need to detain them. Speaking on Public Eye Radio, she said, "When you're talking about the services for secure care, it's not just the ability to apprehend and hold a young person. There has to be a continuum of services. And that isn't in place yet. And that has to run from prevention to safe care and everything in between."*********************
Sure to disappear soon from MCFD's website:
About Accreditation
Third-party accreditation guides human service organizations in the development and maintenance of interrelated accountability and quality improvement systems. Through meeting organizational and program standards, organizations are supported in the delivery and continuous improvement of safe, effective and efficient services. Accrediting bodies continuously gain feedback from consumers, stakeholders, professionals and associations to ensure that the accreditation standards and review processes reflect current international best practices.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development and Community Living British Columbia are committed to maximizing the quality of the service delivered on its behalf to the public. Accreditation status indicates that the accredited organization has achieved an appropriate level of organizational proficiency and that it has reliable mechanisms in operation to continually improve the quality of services it delivers.
The Guide to Accreditation provides an overview of accreditation as a quality assurance mechanism for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The overview includes the ministry policy, summarizes the benefits of accreditation and provides a comprehensive list of questions and answers about everything you wanted to know about accreditation.
From the Guide:
Accreditation is generally accepted as a quality assurance mechanism.Compliance with comprehensive standards has a high probability of contributing to or resulting in good service quality. Quality assurance techniques facilitate the development of management controls and organizational skills required for consistent, client-focused, deliberate service delivery activities and to prevent organizational or service delivery problems. In addition, accrediting bodies require activities that go beyond maintenance of quality to the continuous improvement of quality.Ministry of Children and Family Development Accreditation Policy (revised August 2006)
The Ministry of Children and Family Development (the ministry) is committed to maximizing the quality of the services delivered on its behalf to the public. Accreditation indicates that the accredited organization has achieved an appropriate level of organizational competence and that it has reliable mechanisms in operation to continually improve the quality of its service delivery.