Operations Suspended At Reserve-Based Group Home

Operations Suspended At Reserve-Based Group Home

Friday, April 27, 2007 at 13:29

 

 

A group home for Aboriginal teenagers on the Muskowekwan reserve has been temporarily closed by the government for not living up to certain conditions.

 

Community Resources spokesperon Andrea Britain says 4 Directions Child and Family Services needs to improve its service delivery in areas like anger management, recreational access and education.

 

Minister responsible Buckley Belanger says the facility’s board had been made aware of the deficiencies, but they weren’t being addressed quickly enough.

 

The centre has been operating since 2000.

 

It caters to youth aged 12 to 15 who need someplace to get settled as they work on various problems in their lives.

 

Britain stresses there were no major incidents reported at the centre.

 

Britain adds the youth will be transferred to other facilities while 4 Directions gets up to speed.

 

She hopes the changes are made by July 1st.

 

The announcement follows similar government intervention into another First Nations-run facility — the Oyate Safe House in Regina.

 

But Belanger says Aboriginal people shouldn’t read too much into that, and insists non-Native child welfare agencies are being scrutinized with the same standard.