Child Advocate Concerned For Native Foster Kids

Child Advocate Concerned For Native Foster Kids

Thursday, March 10, 2005 at 15:45

 

 

Saskatchewan’s Children’s Advocate says children who die while in foster care are almost always of Aboriginal ancestry.

 

Deborah Parker-Loewen has released a report on child deaths that occurred in 2000 and 2001.

 

Parker-Loewen says 23 deaths were reviewed and all but four of the cases involved children of Aboriginal ancestry.

 

Parker-Loewen says seven of the deaths were from natural causes, five were accidental deaths, four were suicides and two were homicides.

 

As well, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome took the lives of three children.

 

The cause of two more deaths is still undetermined.

 

Parker-Loewen says the number of Aboriginal children going into government care and group homes is on the rise, and the priority lies in keeping the child connected to their community and culture.

 

Community Resources and Employment Minister Joanne Crofford says improvements have been made to the system since the deaths.