Knowledge Sharing Forum:

A Review of Child Welfare Practices in Nunavut
December 15th – 17th, 2009.

Final Report
February 2010

   
   

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Table of Contents 

Section 1
Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 7

Section 2
Background ....................................................................................................................... 9

Section 3
Overview of Forum Findings: Participants Reflections on the Past, Present and Future .................. 10

Reflections of the Past................................................................................................................................ 10

Present Day Impacts................................................................................................................................... 15

The Future is Now...................................................................................................................................... 19

Section 4
Overview of Participant Concerns and Recommendations ........................................................ 24

Concerns as Expressed by Participants ...................................................................................................... 24

Recommendations as Expressed by Participants ....................................................................................... 26

Section 5
Participant Concerns, Recommendations and the ‘Act’ ............................................................ 28

Section 6
Strategic Recommendations and Suggested Next Steps ............................................................ 30

Strategic Recommendation I: Community Engagement ............................................................... 33

Strategic Recommendation II: Collaborative Review of the Act ..................................................... 34

Strategic Recommendation III: Community Committees .............................................................. 35

Strategic Recommendation IV: Professional Development and Capacity Building .............................. 36

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Strategic Recommendation V: Enhanced Foster Care Capacity ...................................................... 37

Strategic Recommendation VI: Community Centered Program and Supports .................................... 38

Strategic Recommendation VII: Family Centered Interventions ..................................................... 39

Strategic Recommendation VIII: Custom Adoption .................................................................... 40

Strategic Recommendation IX: Promotion of Community Ownership ............................................. 41

Strategic Recommendation X: Preservation of Inuit Culture.......................................................... 42

Strategic Recommendation XI: Healing as Prevention ................................................................. 43

Section 7
Moving from ‘Act’ to Action .............................................................................................. 44

   

Figures

Figure I: Factors Influencing the Review of the Child and Familiy Services Act ........................................... 30
Figure II: Collaborative Approach to the Implementation of Strategic Recommendations ...................... 32
 

Quotations
Please note: All quotations in this Report are those of Knowledge Sharing Forum participants
unless stated otherwise.

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SECTION

1 INTRODUCTION

“Using this Act may be excellent for Qallunaaq but it is not made for Inuit, especially when
people are in pain... we need to improve the Act.”

In December 2009, the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Tagak Curley, invited
representatives from across Nunavut to attend a three day knowledge sharing and visioning
forum. The goal of the Forum was to provide an opportunity for Inuit representatives and elders
to discuss the current state of child protection in Nunavut and to explore what could be done to
improve the programs and service delivery of the Department of Health and Social Services
(HSS).

It is the goal of the Department to work collaboratively with Nunavummiut to create a better
vision for the future of children and their families and to find common agreement on an approach
to improve the Child and Family Services Act (CFSA), enhance child protection services, and to
provide greater support for families.

Building on the direction of Tamapta and recommendations received from previous community
consultations, the goal of the Forum was to provide a bridge from talk to action. Under the
guidance of Inuit facilitators,
participants were provided with an
opportunity to share their stories and
to reflect on aspects of child welfare
practice that have worked to protect
children and strengthen families and
communities.

Further, participants were provided

with an open environment to voice
frustrations and to discuss current
child welfare practices. Both positive
and negative aspects of the child
welfare system were explored and
participants were encouraged to share
their vision of the future of Nunavut
children, families, and communities.

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The Forum provided Nunavummiut an opportunity to:

1. Openly discuss the current way in which child protection services are being delivered
within Nunavut and to explore both what is working and what needs improvement;
2. Reflect upon traditional concepts and the manner in which issues of family violence,
abuse, and other child protection matters were attended to traditionally;
3. Explore means to integrate required child protective services with traditional Inuit
culture and promote preventative measures and family oriented values;
4. Explore short term, mid range, and long term strategies required to actively draw
upon Inuit family values and culture to strengthen community capacity to deliver, and
or complement mainstream, child protective services;
5. Draft strategic recommendations which can be used to inform the way the current
CFSA is administered as well as to provide insight into program direction to help
build family and community capacity to improve areas that require community
centered interventions;
6. Explore options for improvements in structures and processes to implement changes
that are affirming of the positive work that is taking place and focus on improving
that which is negative.

This Forum was a significant first step towards achieving the goal of collaboratively reviewing
the CFSA with consideration and respect of Inuit knowledge and family values. It was an
important beginning of an ongoing innovative process of community and government
collaboration on child welfare.

While the primary intention of the Forum was to gain community input and guidance, a
secondary goal was to establish a foundation for the formation of a Territorial Advisory Council.
The Territorial Advisory Council would serve as advisors to HSS and provide ongoing strategic
guidance and direction as to how the CFSA can be best administered in the context of Inuit
culture.

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SECTION

2 BACKGROUND

The CFSA was created in 1997 by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and
adopted by the Government of Nunavut (GN) in 1999 as an instrument for use in determining the
best interests of children and families across the Territory.

While the current Act has been in existence for the past 12 years, recently there has been
increasing pressure to review how child protection services are delivered within Nunavut. The
pressure to review current practice stems from various sources including Members of the
Legislative Assembly, Inuit Organizations, the Government of Nunavut Report Card (2009), and
Nunavummiut.

In general there are two levels of criticism directed at the CFSA. The first relates to some aspects
of the Act which have been challenged by the Nunavut Court of Justice. Beyond these specific
challenges to the Act, there is also a growing concern regarding the overall premises of the Act.

Specifically, many people are of the view that the Act contravenes Inuit family values and
question Health and Social Services practices such as removing children from their families and
homes without allowing for more timely healing and reconciliation involving family and
community members. As a result HSS is starting the process of a comprehensive review of the
CFSA.

As a part of the review

process the Forum brought
people from across Nunavut
together to share their ideas
and perspectives regarding
the current CFSA and to
collaboratively explore
means to improve child
protections services within
the Territory.

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SECTION
OVERVIEW OF FORUM FINDINGS:
3 PARTICIPANTS REFLECTIONS ON THE
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
During the three days of the Forum participants spoke openly about their knowledge and
experiences of Inuit culture, family life, and child protection issues.

Participants shared stories about their communities and parenting in the past, about the changes
to Inuit life after contact with Qullunaaq institutions, and the impact on families and children in
the present.

The following overview of Forum findings is organized into a timeline that provides participant
knowledge on the past experiences, present day impact, and vision for the future.

REFLECTIONS OF THE PAST

Before Contact

During the Forum participants spoke of a more traditional time and their memories of family life.
They talked about the importance of the extended family, how children were kept in close
physical contact, spending time with their parents and learning by mimicking them. They
described their traditional values of caring and sharing, and respect for elders shown through
kinship.

“We were raising our children well. It was the whole group, never allowed to leave
children alone in tent or house. We used to mimic our parents and pretend we were at a
seal hole… use a stick to attach a seal.”

“When I was growing up we always knew the kinship. We were never to use their names
and never to listen to adult conversations. We were to say uncle and aunty. People are
using first names now-this is new.”

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Participants emphasized that their parents and communities provided discipline for children.

“When we misbehaved as children, we were disciplined not scolded.”

“We had unwritten rules; for instance on arranged marriages, responsibilities of mothers
for raising children, and handling incidents in the communities… When a mother teaches
her daughter to sew, the mother was responsible for disciplining. It is tough love. You
need to talk to them and discipline them...they should be proud of what they made.”

Early Contacts with Outsiders

When participants spoke of their first experiences with outsiders they spoke about fear, loss, and
disconnection. Individuals remembered the fear and distress about being removed from their
communities for schooling and tuberculosis treatments, the disruptive role of the churches, as
well as their experiences of being taken out of their homes and adopted out of their communities.
It is clear that the Inuit communities were affected by Qalunaaq institutions: Medical, Social,
Religious, and Educational.

“1967 there was tuberculosis. We were sent south without any thought of my children.
My husband was also taken away and gone for many years. I had 9 children and I was
breast feeding and they took me down south. I left a 5 month old baby that was being
breast fed. Very hurtful to us, very scary for me to leave my
children and the two youngest were very sick.”

“The federal government mistreated us, especially those

students in residential schools. I went to school when I was
5 years old. Way before the Europeans came we knew the
family structure very well. We were taught how to survive
and how to take care of ourselves. We do not have that
structure any more. We are here today because the
ancestors had this knowledge.”

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Reflecting on Traditional Inuit Parenting

Participant’s spoke of traditional ways of raising children through spending time with children
modelling Inuit ways and disciplining children when required. They remembered many positive
things and shared their memories of what they had learned as children: children learn what they
see, that it is best not to tell lies, that one should respect one’s elders, should be grateful and
always give back, to never listen to adult conversation, to always be kind to others, and to share
with elders.

“When hunting ptarmigan my mother told me to never eat someone else’s meat and make
sure that they get to their destination, you have to take the meat back to the community
you can’t eat it for yourself.”

“I never saw my parents argue, never saw them fight.”

“My father taught me weather prediction. He wants me to be aware and observant when
I am out on the land.”

Participants also recalled how they had been taught about kinship, who to marry, honesty, and
good communication. They also reflected on the many Inuit values that had been passed on such
as: helping one another, having concern for the wellbeing of others, giving back, and respect for
elders. Participants also shared specifics about parenting practices.

“Raising our children well, it was the whole group. We were never allowed to leave
children alone in tent or house. We always had a babysitter.”

“We have children in our amauti and leave them there, speaking with them”

Participants spoke of how they learned as children by mimicking their parents, by being held,
and being spoken to. Children were given limits and boundaries, such as not listening to adult
conversations and not talking back.

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Unwritten laws

Forum participants spoke of the need to reclaim Inuit identity, culture, and language. They
identified the need to interview elders to document their knowledge before it is lost. They also
spoke of the importance of remembering and recording the unwritten laws of Inuit culture.

It was noted that while in the past there were no written laws, there were unwritten laws and
norms that were passed along through stories and by observing parents and elders. Children
understood these rules such as no stealing, respect for others, etc. and were disciplined if they did
not follow the cultural norms. Parents took an active role in teaching their children skills,
directly and indirectly, and took pride in the accomplishments of their children.

It was noted that the elders who have this traditional knowledge and awareness of these
unwritten laws and customs are older and that it is important to find a means to capture and
preserve this knowledge.

“We know that there are elders in their 70’s and 80’s and the stories that they have. They
are the ones with the knowledge. We cannot work with what we have not seen. They have
the knowledge.”

“We have unwritten rules, for instance about arranged marriages, responsibilities of
mothers, raising children, handling incidents in the communities…”

“Elders should be asked for their advice on the Act as they are the ones
with the knowledge.”

Traditional Responses to Abuse

Participants shared their thoughts and experience about how Inuit families traditionally
responded to abuse and how they supported people who were fighting or had problems with one
another. It was noted that these matters were dealt with by the community and within the
community. Traditionally, community members took an active role in dealing with abuse. Elders
spoke with the victim and the abuser.

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 “They brought elders to the house and they had the person sitting in front of them
and the elders asked them why they had a problem. They confessed their problem.
I thought it was amazing how they handled people with problems or issues.
I remember being a child and money was stolen from school. The authorities came to
my house [to all the kid’s houses] to ask if I stole money. They should have asked my
father first. They disrespected my father and my culture.”

Participants spoke of a need for early and direct responses from the community and described
how the whole family was involved in a relationship. For example, if a woman was not being
treated properly in her marriage her father would go get her and bring her home.

“There was a couple that got together and the father came and picked up his daughter.
The father said he would not return his daughter unless the husband was good to her.
Our elders know that the whole family is involved in a relationship. These unwritten rules
are not documented but this is the Inuit culture. We must be clear on this. We need a
clear mind on sensitive issues.”

“If a person was abused, things were dealt with immediately. They were counselled. We
should not release them or let them go but we should counsel them right away. People
should not wait to go to court.”

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 PRESENT DAY IMPACTS
Forum participants spoke of the intergenerational impact of the separation of families and how as
a result family structures have changed and traditional parenting skills have been lost. Related
problems such as addiction, family violence, child abuse, and neglect were also discussed.

“The first thing to really hurt us, for those of us Inuit, was the mothers and fathers who
had their children taken away.”

“We were strangers when we came back to our settlements. We were not taught Inuit
traditions and cultures. Those who went to residential schools, we were taken away. A lot
of us never saw our parents again… there were some students who had their lives
broken.”

Concerns were also raised regarding young people becoming parents far too early and that
children are not being given enough guidance and discipline at home or at school.

“The children are running their lives. Children say they do not like these clothes and do
not like this food and then they have skin rashes because they are malnourished… I have
noticed in the schools… when one student misbehaves and is sent to the office -- who
scolds them in the office -- no one -- they are just there for detention.”

“Some elders adopt young ones because there is no one there to look after them. I ended
up looking after my grandchildren and great grandchildren. There are children who have
nowhere to go. I know that the western culture is being used by young ones, but those
who have survived up here [the elders] are being put aside.”

Elders noted that they no longer have appropriate ways of sharing their knowledge with the
community and feel that they are being 'put aside'.

An elder described situations in which the younger generation is using elders as babysitters
rather than learning about Inuit culture and parenting by spending time listening to and learning
from the elders.

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The loss of traditional values combined with a current lack of parenting skills has created an
imbalance in families and communities. Participants spoke about the central role of culture and
Inuit values in the review of the CFSA and the need for greater involvement of elders.

It was noted that there is a need to re-connect elders with parents and children as elders are an
important resource for reclaiming Inuit knowledge and parenting skills.

We Love Our Children but there is a Lot of Abuse in our Families

Participants spoke about the changes from traditional Inuit culture to present day and identified
various forms of abuse (physical, sexual, and financial) that are happening in their communities
and discussed the causes of abuse. Participants also shared their own stories of victimization and
sexual abuse, and how their experiences now influence their parenting choices.

“Where is my childhood? When you get hurt you get lost. I experienced this. .. As
a mother, I did not want my children to feel the same experiences.”

Participants described a generation of people who are dependent on their elders and the
government. It was noted that alcohol and drugs are often involved and that the younger
generation has not learned how to take care of themselves, their children, the elders, or their
community. Concerns were raised that elders are having their pensions taken away from them
and that some parents are not spending the child tax credits to support their children.

“It is very clear regarding the Child Tax Credit. They use it for bingo, drugs,
liquor but it is supposed to be used for the children… We need laws or policies
about the child tax credit. We see people drunk in the streets. We need laws or
policies for children. People get money and they should be spending it on
children.”

Participants also discussed their concerns about parents needing to be more responsible for the
care of their children, and for providing more supervision and discipline. Further, participants
said that parents need to have more authority over their children sharing the view that children do
not become adults at 18 but rather continue to need guidance from their families as they mature
and become young adults.

“Traditionally, we raised our children with parenting skills.

When we were kids, we were told rules but it was not a complete set of
rules to live our lives. When were taken away to school, we lost our
connection to our parents and our parenting skills.”

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 “When we spoil our kids, we do not love our kids.
We must scold them and discipline our kids. That is true love.
Spoiling is not love. We need to give parents the tools to raise their children.”

We Should Not Forget Any Children: Foster Care and Adoption

While many participants spoke negatively of Social Services practices and the removal of
children from their homes, participants also discussed the fact that some children in their
communities are unsafe in their homes and need protection. Participants discussed the need for
fostering in their communities as some parents are drinking and are unable to care for their
children. While this need exists, participants also noted that currently there are not enough foster
homes in their communities.

When talking about the reasons for the shortage of foster homes participants said that people
were concerned that children report everything to social services and that foster parents cannot
discipline a foster child or the child will report them. Several other concerns were also mentioned
by participants.

“Birth parents may also get angry and retaliate against foster parents.”

“Foster parents need more financial support and respite care.”

“A lot of people feel afraid of the paper work involved; it’s not that difficult to do
a home study and a medical check. It’s not scary.”

“We need training for foster parents; we do not have any

training for foster parents.”

The importance of a liaison between children who are in foster placements or group homes in the
south and their birth families was also raised as an important issue for Health and Social Services
to consider. It was noted that if children are sent south links need to be maintained between Inuit
families, community, and culture.

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Need for Healing Historical and Family Trauma

Participants talked about the need for healing. They spoke about the many wounds that have not
been addressed and described these as having a direct impact upon parents and children. The
historical removal of children from their homes and communities was identified as a source of
the current disconnection between generations experienced by many families and communities.
It was said that the abuse experienced in residential schools and disruption of culture are
contributing factors to many of the social issues of today.

“Every one of us is affected by this”

Poor parenting skills and related issues such as alcohol and substance abuse were discussed as
factors in many homes. Participants acknowledged that children are often placed at risk and
shared that there are serious child protection issues in their communities. There was an
expressed need for facilities and resources in the communities to support children and their
families with the aim of keeping families together and Inuit within Nunavut. It was also noted
that children who have been abused need support and healing to reduce negative impacts later in
life.

“I know we love our family members but there is a lot of abuse in our families…
We want to be able to keep the Inuit in the north.”

Further, the intergenerational impact of breaking the connection between parents and children
was noted to have had a serious impact on communities. Parents who were themselves removed
from their homes and families at a young age, or who were raised by residential school survivors,
were described as needing to be taught and supported in their parenting. Participants further
raised concerns about today’s generation saying that “babies are having babies” often leaving
their family home before they “know anything about life” and are still in need of parenting and
cultural guidance.

“There are a lot of us that do not know how

to raise our children; a lot of
young babies having babies. We need a
program to teach young ones how to raise
children traditionally.”

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 THE FUTURE IS NOW
A future of strong healthy Inuit families with
children being raised and supported in Nunavut is
the vision of Forum participants. While
participants shared their knowledge of the past,
and of the present cultural disruption, they also
talked about pathways to the future.

Participants spoke of a future in which

communities work together to protect children
and preserve families; where community elders
work with youth to transfer their knowledge and
model the strength and survival of
Nunavummiut.

“If we want strong people we need to start at a young age.”

“We need to support our children and raise them that way”

The challenge of promoting a future with healthy children and strong families must be addressed
in the present. It will be necessary for all stakeholders to work together to improve the CFSA,
current social services practices, and parenting capacity. As such, commitment is needed from
individuals, communities, and government to keep children safe and to strengthen Inuit families.

“It is important to look at the Act using our culture and our values as we hear
from everyone around the table. The community does not
understand what goes on behind closed doors.”

“Inuit need more authority in their communities. Important to participate in the

improvement of the Child and Family Services Act.”

“We are not trying to go back to the past we are trying to adapt some
traditions and use them today”

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Community Solutions

Participants said that the current ways of intervening with family violence are not working. It
was stated that although there is violence against women, children, and men, the current
practices which often separate children and family members, are not appropriate for Inuit
families. In traditional culture there were no shelters for people to ‘run away’ to and people were
required to deal with the issues within their communities. Participants discussed the need to
return to traditional practices where abuse is acknowledged and dealt with within the community,
by community members.

“We need to think of the family as a whole.

Our elders are dying out with the knowledge that they have.
Even though these are not written, it feels like we are giving these up.”

“I think it would be better if we formed a committee to support the family, I have worked
and been there to help the family and there was confidentiality.
We know everyone in the community so why do we not form a committee to help.
I think the general public should be involved as they know what is going on and how to
help. We can be available for counselling.”

“I think we need to see an organization or leader like in the past.

There used to be a leader in each camp, some sort of an office when there are any
problems in the community.”

Participants expressed concern regarding the relationships and sexual practices of young people
saying that there is no respect for traditional relationship practices where the consent of parents
was sought. Today teenagers are getting pregnant as a result of one night stands and giving up
their babies for adoption. It was felt that family members should have more of a role in the lives
of their children and their relationship choices such as who they date and whether or not they
give a baby up for adoption. An elder stated “these decisions should not just be a child’s
choice”.

Further, participants spoke of the importance of exploring and solving the problems of the past
before today’s issues could be solved. However, they noted they have been asked the same
questions for the last 30 years that they are being asked today “How can you protect children and
solve the problems of alcohol and drug abuse”. The elder said that “we cannot solve the
problems of substance abuse as this was not part of our culture”.

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It was also noted that as much as Inuit wish to help others with addictions, the knowledge and
experience is lacking within their communities. While this is the case, participants stated that
rather than sending people south for alcohol and substance abuse rehabilitation, a community
centered model of professional addictions counselling needs to be developed.

The Child and Family Services Act: As If We Are Walking Into a Wall

Forum participants were critical of the Act and its implementation. The Act was viewed as
unresponsive to the needs and perspectives of Inuit. It was criticized for being written in an
unclear manner, too lengthy, and difficult to use. Participants stated that the Act needs to be re-
written in a way that is understandable. They recommended that the Act be shorter and more
manageable with the integration of Inuit values, ideas and customs.

“The Child and Family Services Act does not serve the people in Nunavut.
There are a lot of barriers we face when we try to help people.
When we use this Act it is as if we are walking into the wall.
I am really glad that the government is trying to improve the Act.”

“In this policy we have to make things short and clear to the people … the law is too
long, we have to tighten it… People have to be educated in their own knowledge how to
put things in order- we have to have an Inuktitut document.”

“If we are putting in an act we should include the Inuit and Inuit knowledge. We should
put something in place that the people from the outside are able to learn and follow. It
would not be impossible; we have a lifestyle that is very simple.”

“In this policy we have to make things short and clear to the people … we have to have
an Inuktitut document.”

Due to the social problems that have developed in Inuit communities and families since contact,
children have been put at risk and harmed by Qallunaaq institutions, by parents struggling with
addiction and the pain of cultural dislocation, and also by the current administration of the
CFSA. Participants reported that as a result of the current CFSA Nunavummiut have experienced
further disconnection and separation of parents and children.

Additionally, participants raised concerns that many children have been removed from their
homes and now live in foster care, group homes, or have been placed for adoption.

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“When it comes to the Child and Family Services Act I want to thank you from the bottom
of my heart [for the opportunity to participate in the review of the Act].
I have seen firsthand how it destroys families and children.”

Participants also discussed the territorial adoption statistics and were alarmed at the number of
customary adoptions occurring within Nunavut. As such participants recommended that a
separate meeting be held to look specifically at adoption to gain a greater understanding of why
so many people are giving their children up.

“I am astonished that 176 children were [custom] adopted, this is a really large
number…We need to look at this carefully.”

“This is a sensitive topic. We are preparing for the future. I know one day is not enough-
let’s have a meeting that only focuses on this topic, which focuses on this topic of
adoption. We also need a study on why people are adopting out their children.”

Piliriqatigiini/Ikajuqtigiinniq: Working together for a Common cause

Participants identified the lack of fit between the current administration of the CFSA and Inuit
culture and values. Emphasis was placed on the important role of elders in traditional Inuit
society and the importance of finding a way to gather, retain and utilize this elder knowledge and
to find culturally sound, community-based responses to child protection.

Extended families, foster homes, and childrens' safe homes were discussed as community-based
responses to promote and protect child safety and wellbeing and the health of future generations.

Participants also noted that RCMP and HSS staff members have too much authority stating that
communities and families are only being made aware of child protection issues at the time of a
child’s removal. Participants expressed the need for families and communities to be made aware
of issues in advance so that they can become a part of the solution.

Further, participants spoke of the need to give elders a more active process in all child protection
matters. An elder noted that there needs to be more opportunities for elders to share their
knowledge regarding traditional parenting strategies to enhance young parents’ abilities to parent
their children.

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 “The Child and Family Services Act has nothing to do with our communities.
It is not made for our Inuit. I am really glad that we are trying to improve the Act for my
children, my grandchildren, and the children of Nunavut.”

“When a female is sent to a woman’s shelter the man is struggling.

This could be solved in the community by using our traditions and our values.
The government of Nunavut has too much authority, the nurses, the RCMP.
We do not hear about these things until the children are gone.”

It was also recommended that HSS promote increased cooperation and collaboration with other
department as Interdepartmental collaboration is seen as a means to advance the goal of
integrating Inuit perspectives and values into strategies to strengthen communities, support
families and protect children.

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SECTION
OVERVIEW OF PARTICIPANT
4 CONCERNS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

When reviewing the information shared by participants during the Knowledge Sharing Forum,
several concerns were expressed by participants regarding the current CFSA, the manner in
which child protection services are delivered within the Territory and the current state of affairs
in their communities. Paralleling the disclosures of concerns, participants also provided a wealth
of valuable insights about what could be done to promote community involvement in Social
Service processes to protect children, strengthen families, and enhance community capacity to
responsively meet the needs of all Nunavummiut.

The following is a listing of participant concerns and participant recommendation as expressed

during the Forum.

CONCERNS AS EXPRESSED BY PARTICIPANTS

Concerns Specific to the Child and Family Services Act
1. Extended families are not utilized as a resource when Social Workers are attending to
child protection matters
2. The views and perspectives of children are not accounted for when Social Worker are
making decisions regarding matters that directly affect them
3. Social Services interventions do not place enough emphasis on family preservation,
and the involvement of family members, when dealing with child protection matters
4. There is concern regarding the safety and adequacy of foster homes to protect
children and effectively meet their needs
5. There is not enough monitoring and accountability within Social Services
6. Social Services does not do an adequate job in facilitating ongoing communication
between families of children who are in care in south facilities
7. The way domestic violence and child protection are dealt with does not strengthen
families, rather children are often removed from the home and their community and
women are sent away to shelters

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Need for Community Healing
8. Inuit need services to address trauma and unaddressed pain
9. Adults have experienced a great deal of historical trauma that has not been attended to
10. There is a need for individuals and communities to heal
11. Inuit experience with residential schools has resulted in a loss of parenting skills and
a cut in the connection between different generations
Need for Community Resources
12. There is not enough community support to help people heal and to help them deal
with secondary issues such as drug and alcohol addictions
13. There are not enough community based facilities to support children and youth within
their communities
14. There is a lack of suitable foster homes within communities
Need to Preserve Culture
15. Communities and government are not drawing enough upon the knowledge and
guidance of elders
16. There is an ongoing loss of elder knowledge
17. There is a lack of attention to and integration of Inuit culture and Inuit values within
GN programs and services
Other Concerns
18. There are too many ‘babies having babies’
19. Too many young parents are giving up their children
20. There is an issues with elder abuse and people taking their money
21. Youth and young adults are over dependent on elders to provide them with child care
support and food
22. Parents are abusing the child
tax credit and not using the
money for its intended purpose
23. Foster parents are abusing
foster care dollars and may not
be fostering with the right
intentions
24. Parents have a lack of authority
over parenting their children

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 RECOMMENDATIONS AS EXPRESSED BY PARTICIPANTS

Formation of a Territorial Advisory Committee

1. Continued community consultations to review and improve the CFSA
2. Work together to find ways to facilitate collaborative working relationships between
government services
3. Provide Inuit with more authority over their communities
4. Facilitate an active role for Inuit in the improvement and enhancement of the CFSA

Recommendation Specific to the Child and Family Services Act

Plan of Care Committees
5. Form community committees to work with families and the authorities to make sure that
children are safe
6. Wide representation is needed on committees to give communities more ownership over
Social Services processes and mechanisms
7. Prepare community members to become committee members and ensure the provision of
ongoing support
8. Return to traditional practices to responses to family and community issues are decided
upon by community members and implemented by the community, within their
community, to strengthen families
9. Take active steps to ensure that Inuit values and customs are integrated into the CFSA
10. Provide GN support for the formation of Child and Family Services Committees

Adoption
11. Explore customary adoption processes within the territory so as to understand why so
many families are giving up their children. It is recommended that this issue be the focus
of a workshop

Foster Care
12. Provide more training, funding, and respite care support for foster parents
13. Develop means to better monitor foster care

General ‘Act’
14. Identify and formalize the means to combine both Inuit culture and south culture

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 15. Revise the CFSA to ensure that it is clear and understandable for Inuit
16. Write the CFSA in Inuktitut first and then translate into English
17. Train social workers in the CFSA so as to ensure that it is properly administered
18. Formalize means to monitor and support Inuit children placed out of Territory
19. Formalize means to promote better communication networks between
families/communities and Inuit children placed in out of Territory facilities
20. Develop community centered means to deal with issues of family violence so that it is
not just the RCMP and Social Services who respond to this issue

Community Resources Development

21. Form child shelters and group homes with supports and services within the communities
22. Facilitate processes where by children can learn about and be guided by about Inuit
values
23. Develop parenting support and mentoring programs
24. Develop community-based healing and rehabilitation programs

Training and Capacity Building

25. Develop Nunavut specific training for social workers whereby they are educated on Inuit
culture and values and have an opportunity to be mentored by elders
26. Develop a mentoring program for Inuit social workers to strengthen their ability to
assume leadership roles within their communities and within the Department of Health
and Social Services

Other Recommendations
27. Teach parents how to raise their children and manage their money
28. GN to provide sustained support for the formation of elder committees within
communities
29. Formalize means to increase support for elders
30. Formalize ways to draw upon, record and preserve elder knowledge
31. Cultivate and promote community ownership and volunteerism
32. Increase interdepartmental collaboration between the Department of Culture Language
Elders and Youth (CLEY), Education Income Support , Justice, Housing, and HSS to
ensure that elders are given a more active role within their communities and within
government

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SECTION
PARTICIPANT CONCERNS,
5 RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE ‘ACT’

When reviewing the concerns and recommendations as voiced by participants it can be seen that
the current CFSA has several provisions which may potentially be used to address some of the
issues raised.

The following section provides a short overview of selected examples with suggested links
between participant recommendations and specific provisions of the CFSA. A more in-depth,
collaborative, and community engaged process is required to explore and articulate the manner in
which provisions in the current CFSA may potentially be used to respond to the
recommendations of the participants to promote Inuit perspectives in child protection practices

Example I – ‘Extended family and communities need to have more active involvement in
supporting children and their parents.’
 Sections 10(1)(c), 11(3)(c) and 16(3) of the Act references child and family services
committee’s and plan of care committees both of which are intended to facilitate Social
Services, family and community collaboration in supporting parents and their children.
 Section (2)(d, f, g, i, l), ‘Principles governing Act’ all denote the importance of the active
involvement of extended family members and or community members in child protection
matters so as to ensure that their views and perspectives are heard and accounted for.

Example II – ‘Social Workers should ensure that the link between children in care, their
families, their communities and their Inuit culture is supported and maintained.’
 Section 2(d, f, g, h, I, k, l) ‘Principles governing Act’, each denote the importance of
maintaining the link between children in care, their families, their communities and their
Inuit culture.
 Section 3, Best Interest of the child states that when determining the best interest of the
child “different cultural values and practices must be respected in making the
determination” and outlines specific subsections that require workers to consider the
child’s culture, linguistic and spiritual upbringing and ties (3)(c).

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Example III – ‘Social Workers do not account for the views and perspectives of Inuit
children.’
 Section 5(2)(2)(a & b) notes that when a Social Worker is making a Voluntary Support
Services Agreement with a child’s guardian, if the child has attained the age of 12 years,
the child needs to be informed of the nature of the agreement and consent and signature
of the child also needs to be sought (but is not required).
 Section (2)(h & i) note that children, when appropriate “should participate in decisions
affecting them” and that they “should be given the opportunity to be heard and their
opinions should be considered when decisions affecting their own interests are being
made.”

Example IIV – ‘There is a need for stricter monitoring of placement facilities and foster
homes so as to ensure that they offer an appropriate standard of care and are acting in the
best interest of Inuit children.’
 Sections 60-65 of the CFSA provides very clear guidelines and criteria for the monitoring
of child care facilities and foster homes so as to ensure that they are in compliance with
appropriate standards of care and that they are acting in the best interest of the children
entrusted in their care.

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SECTION
STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS AND
6 SUGGESTED NEXT STEPS

In addition to listing participant concerns and recommendations, careful attention was paid to
capturing the essence of what people said and to ensuring that the information shared by
participants could be presented in way to inform government processes, enhance the Department
of Health and Social Service delivery models, strengthen community collaboration, and
influence positive change. As such, the concerns and recommendations as shared by participants
have also been crafted into a series of strategic recommendations and a related set of suggested
next steps.

Although a set of suggested next steps has been proposed, it is our belief that the precursor for
enacting any of the noted strategic recommendations is further community consultation to
explore a culturally responsive, community driven, means of collaboratively moving forward.
Further, it is felt that improvements to the CFSA and the enhancement of child protection
services will only occur if careful attention is paid to ensuring an alignment between the
proposed means to improve the CFSA and the context in which changes are intended.

Figure I: Factors Influencing the Review of the Child and Family Services Act

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As such, it needs to be acknowledged that changes to the CFSA will require that HSS examine
the factors which influence the current CFSA at many levels of analysis. Thus, the ongoing
changes to family structure and functioning need to be reviewed with an awareness and
understanding of the needs, resources and stressors within communities throughout the Territory.

Additionally, as individuals and communities exist within a larger Territorial (and National)
political, social, cultural and historical context, there is a need to attain an in-depth understanding
of the interplay between each level and their impact upon Nunavut communities, families and
children (Please see Figure I – Factors Influencing the Review of the Child and Family Services
Act)

Governmental Collaboration   
 
HSS, while responsible for the administration of the CFSA, cannot enact the changes required to
improve the current CFSA and strengthen territorial capacity to offer responsive child protection
services on its own. As such, a collaborative approach will be required (Please see Figure II -
Collaborative Approach to the Implementation of Strategic Recommendations).

Under such an approach, while HSS can take a lead role, the Department must work closely with
community stakeholders, Inuit Associations and other Governmental Departments that have
vested interests in promoting community wellness and the protection of children.

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Figure II: Collaborative Approach to the Implementation of Strategic Recommendations

 
 

The following section presents a series of 11 strategic recommendations which translate

participant information into actionable items which can be used to inform the review the current
CFSA and strengthen territorial capacity to offer responsive child protection services.

Strategic recommendations I- IX are specific to the HSS and the collaborative enhancement of
the CFSA and or Social Services programs and services. Strategic Recommendations X and XI,
while interconnected with all other recommendations, the mandate to attend to the noted
recommendations does not fall directly under HSS. As such, interdepartmental consultations and
collaboration is required.

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 Strategic Recommendation I: Community Engagement
Facilitate continued community engagement with the Department of
Health and Social Services.
“Inuit need more authority in
their communities.
It is important for us to
participate in the improvement
of the Child and Family
Services Act. I am here
representing children”
“If we are going to have leaders
to teach the committee I want
the whole community involved
so that we are all at the same
level of knowledge”
“I do talk with the elders in the
community. I do talk with
family members. How can we
put these cultures together?”
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Suggested Next Steps:
 Building upon the Forum’s
success, continue to engage
participants so as to maintain the
momentum that has been
established
 Work with forum participants
and other key stakeholders to
establish the ‘terms of reference’
for a Territorial advisory council
 Conduct internal Health and
Social Services consultations to
explore how the departments can
best work collaboratively with
communities
 Ensure appropriate
Departmental resources are
allocated so as to ensure the
success of any community
engagement initiative
 Strategic Recommendation II: Collaborative Review of the Act

Building on insights and perspectives of Forum participants, initiate a

comprehensive territorial review of the CFSA with the goal of drafting
a revised Act which is rooted in a respect for Inuit knowledge and
family values.

Suggested Next Steps:

“When it comes to reviewing the
Child and Family Services Act, I
thank you from the bottom of
my heart, I have seen firsthand
how it destroys families and
children.”
“If we are going to improve the
act we must also practice our
lifestyle.”
 Educate the community
regarding the current CFSA and
its provisions
 Initiate a comprehensive
Territorial review of the CFSA
 Amend current CFSA and/or
draft new legislation as required

“We always adapt another act

from outside of Nunavut and
they tell us that this is the act
that will be following. They
never give us a chance to make
improvements or amendments.”

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 Strategic Recommendation III: Community Committees

Form community Plan of Care Committees that can work in

collaboration with Health and Social Services when dealing with
child protection matters so as to ensure that traditional Inuit family
values and culture are respected and that communities have active
involvement in child protection interventions.

“We do not have a committee Suggested Next Steps:

and I am not sure whose
responsibility to form them. I
am sure if we had interest; a
worker from justice, social
worker, parent, elder. I am sure
I could form a committee.”
“I would be happy if we formed
a committee and we should
inform our Minister and other
Ministers. We need to voice
ourselves, if we do not have a
place to go, nothing will get
done.”
 Educate department staff
regarding provisions in the
CFSA which promote the
formation of Plan of Care
Committees to work in
collaboration with Health and
Social Services when dealing
with child protection matters
 Strengthen Regional Social
Services staff capacity to form,
resource, and actively utilize
Plan of Care Committees to
support their child protection
work

“When I was chairman I tried to  Provide appropriate, ongoing,

have a community meeting; only Departmental leadership,
one person attended, why was guidance, monitoring and
that?” support

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 Strategic Recommendation IV:

Professional Development and Capacity Building

Develop a Territorial training and capacity building strategy for all

social workers with an emphasis on hiring more Inuit staff, cultural
competency training, mentorship with elders, and mandatory training
on the Child and Family Services Act.

“We need to train more Inuit Suggested Next Steps:

workers; a place to start is the
College with human service
courses. I do not know how
many are hired back into the
communities.”
“I really try with Social workers
in the office to introduce them
to Inuit culture; we all need to
support each other regardless of
our color and race.
Unfortunately many of us have
had bad experiences”
 Work in partnership with key
stakeholders to develop a Inuit
staff training and mentorship
model so as to prepare more
Inuit staff to take on Social
Services leadership roles
 Collaboratively develop a
Territorial Social Services
training and capacity building
strategy. Strategy to include:
o Cultural competency
training

o Elder/Social Worker
“When they are hiring southern
social workers they do not know
mentorship program
our culture and our traditions.
o Mandatory training on
They should have some cultural
the CFSA
training with community elders”

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 Strategic Recommendation V: Enhanced Foster Care Capacity
Develop a territorial strategy to promote and support community
based foster homes for children.
“Not many Inuit want to be
foster parents and you ask why?
I think it is like a shock when a
social worker asks us if we can
be a foster parent. We do not
know the child and we are
expected to look after the kid. I
think we have a right to know
the history of the child”
“A lot of people feel afraid of
the paper work involved. It is
not that difficult to do a home
study and a medical.”
“We need training for foster
parents, now we do not have any
training for foster parents.
Foster parents are tired they
need respite, people to take kids
for the weekend to give the
parents a break.”
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Suggested Next Steps:
 Work in collaboration with key
stakeholders to form a
Territorial Foster Parents
Association
 Work in collaboration with key
stakeholders to develop a
Territorial Foster Parents
awareness and recruitment
strategy
o Allocate staffing
resources to
implementation of the
Territorial strategy
 Strengthen regional Social
Services staff capacity to
provide, training, support and
monitoring for foster families
 Strategic Recommendation VI: Community Centered Program
and Supports

Develop means to enhance access to culturally relevant, community

centered, supports for children and families who are dealing with
issues such as addictions, mental health, child abuse and family
violence.

Suggested Next Steps:

“I know we love our family
members but there is a lot of
abuse in our families. We need
healing. We want to be able to
keep the Inuit in the north.”
 Facilitate formal means to align
Forum findings and the work of the
Territorial Advisory Group with
other related Departmental
initiatives

“We cannot really solve these

problems. Alcohol abuse, drug
abuse, being high on drugs is
not the Inuit culture.”

“A lot of Inuit would like to help

people with addictions, but it is
not their way. Why can’t people
come and help people with
abuse. Why can’t there be
rehab in our communities?
Why do we have to fly south?
These are our questions.”

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 Strategic Recommendation VII: Family Centered Interventions

Review and revise existing Social Services Service delivery models

to ensure that they are rooted in a respect for traditional Inuit family
values and are working from a family centered perspective

“A Child and family service is Suggested Next Steps:

only working for the child.
Focus on the child, there is very
little to support a family”
“We would like to see family
status, just like child status. If
we develop family status there
could be more social
improvements. We could be
representing the mother, the
father and the child”
“When a couple is having a
dispute there are a lot of people
they can go to for support. This
could be solved in the
community, using our traditions
and our values”
 Review current Social Services
Service delivery models and
practices to explore means to
enhance the provisions of
‘family centered’ interventions
 Participants noted the need to
explore the customary adoption
processes within the territory so
as to understand why so many
families are giving up their
children. It is recommended that
this issue be the focus of a
follow-up Territorial workshop

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 Strategic Recommendation VIII: Custom Adoption

Review the Custom Adoption processes within the Territory and

explore why so many parents are giving their children up for
adoption.

Suggested Next Steps:

“I am astonished that 176
children were [custom] adopted.
This is a really large
number…We need to look at
this carefully.”
 Facilitate a collaborative review of
the Custom Adoption process within
Nunavut
 Participants noted that Custom
Adoption should be the focus of a
separate Territorial workshop

“This is a sensitive topic. We

are preparing for the future. I
know one day is not enough,
let’s have a meeting that only
focuses on this topic, which
focuses on this topic of
adoption...”

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 Strategic Recommendation IX: Promotion of Community
Ownership

Commit time, resources, and leadership to mobilize and support

communities to implement Inuit informed changes in child welfare
practices.

“Inuit are capable; we have

knowledge, we have wisdom. If
we could just follow some of the
traditions in the culture we
could have improvements…”
“We are able to take charge,
able to take charge of our lives
in the communities.”
“Why do we not act instead of
talking, there are a lot of issues
that need to be solved out
there.”
Suggested Next Steps:
 Continue to engage Forum
participants and build upon
foundation established during
the initial Knowledge Sharing
Forum
 Provide communities with the
tools and supports required to
have an active, authentic voice
in informing government
processes that directly affect
them

“How will we improve the

CFSA? We are not short of
ideas; we are looking for the
will to change, to take the
challenge to make family units
stronger than ever before.”

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 Strategic Recommendation X: Preservation of Inuit Culture

Document and preserve elder knowledge with the aim of integrating

Inuit cultural perspectives in all Health and Social Services
processes.

“We need to support our children…We

have some knowledge that we can
share with other people. I grew up in
seal skin tent, I was adopted by an
elder and I have shared her
experiences, she raised me and taught
me about a lot of things. Even though I
never went to school I can raise my
children in a traditional way. I think
there needs to be a way, a facility,
where we can go, to share our
knowledge.”
Suggested Next Steps:
 Actively recruit, and support,
elders to sit on plan of care
committees
 Facilitate collaborative working
relationships with existing
community elders committees
and or groups

“We have a lot of questions. We would

 Work in collaboration with other
like to ask our questions to the elders… government departments to
they have developed knowledge. I feel actively explore collaborative
that they have more knowledge than means to document and preserve
the southern knowledge that is elder knowledge and to further
provided today. I know that they have involve elders in government
accumulated thousands of years of processes
knowledge, 1,700 years.”

“The traditions and practices we know

are being forgotten.”  

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 Strategic Recommendation XI: Healing as Prevention

Explore and establish means to support community healing to

promote healthy individuals and families who are better equipped to
meet the needs of their children.

“There are many wounds that Suggested Next Steps:

have not been addressed. Our
children and our grandchildren  Work in collaboration with key
carry that pain. We need better stakeholders – including elders,
services." community service providers
and representatives from
pertinent government
“Need to learn parenting… We departments - to support
stopped learning and we did not community healing via the
know how to raise our children, utilization of existing services
to feed our children. I was never
and/or development of new
taught how to raise my children;
community based supports.
I did not teach my son how to
raise his children. Someone has
cut that connection… we should
begin teaching this connection”

“As two social workers we do

not have time to teach and
support the parents and the
families we only work crisis to
crisis prevention is necessary.”

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SECTION

7 MOVING FROM ‘ACT’ TO ACTION

The Health and Social Services Minister’s Knowledge Sharing Forum was an important and
innovative first step in an effort to review the CFSA from an Inuit community and family centred
perspective.

The Forum brought Inuit elders, Inuit association and community representatives together with
Health and Social Services staff (as silent partners) to reflect on the degree to which the CFSA
currently fits or does not fit with Inuit culture and values.

Throughout the three day Forum participants shared important responses to questions about the
CFSA such as: How does the Act fit or not fit with Inuit culture and values?; How can Inuit
family values and culture strengthen community capacity to deliver, and or complement
mainstream, child protective services? and; What improvements in structures and processes are
needed to address child protection issues in Nunavut?

The Forum report provides the important first step in the process of opening the doors to
addressing the cultural fit of the CFSA and its ability to support Inuit families and protect
children.

Based on an integrated analysis of the knowledge shared by Forum participants 24 Participant

Concerns and 32 specific Participant Recommendations were identified. This information was
then drafted into 11 Strategic Recommendations which translate participant information into
actionable items.

I. Community Engagement
II. Collaborative Review of the Act
III. Community Committees
IV. Professional Development and Capacity Building
V. Enhanced Foster Care Capacity
VI. Community Centered Programs and Supports
VII. Family Centered Interventions
VIII. Custom Adoption
IX. Promotion of Community Ownership
X. Preservation of Inuit Culture
XI. Healing as Prevention

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The Forum generated a focused review of Inuit perspectives on the CFSA and opened the door to
a community-government collaborative response to child welfare that is rooted in Inuit cultural
values. Findings from this initial review clearly indicate that the Department of Health and
Social Services needs to ensure the ongoing consultation with and engagement of Inuit
communities.

A commitment to sustainable community engagement processes as outlined in the Forum

recommendations will be required to advance the goals of preserving Inuit culture, fostering
community ownership, and enhancing community and system capacity to respond to the
complexity of child welfare issues.

Participants expressed a sense of urgency and willingness to move from talk to action. To honour
the intent of the Forum it is strongly recommended that time, resources, and leadership be
allocated for verification and implementation of the strategic recommendations.

Further, the open sharing of participants provides evidence that child protection challenges in
Nunavut exist within a complex network of social, economic, historic, and cultural processes. As
such, it is clear that diverse stakeholder and multi-level responses (as illustrated in Figure II) are
required to promote child and family wellness.

The Minister’s Knowledge Sharing Forum ended with a sense of optimism for the future of Inuit
children and families. One participant said:

“I can see much further now;

I can almost see the future.”

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