The deaths of nine Alberta children call for greater focus on child service gaps, advocate says in report

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Two younger siblings who died by homicide were among nine youths who died while receiving child intervention services over a six-month period in 2021, the Alberta children’s advocate said.

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In a report released Tuesday, Del Graff reviewed the circumstances that led to the deaths of nine children ages seven months to 19 years who died in the period from October 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.

Graff notes that insufficient intragovernmental information sharing, transition planning for adolescents out of care, early intervention, and service gaps for indigenous peoples are challenges that contribute to the lives of young people.

Three main recommendations emerge from the review.

One is that the Ministries of Justice and Children’s Services and the Attorney General must require that child intervention services be informed before a person is released from incarceration for family violence where the family was involved with those services.

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The second is that the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General should reassess the risk that offenders pose and offer a security plan with victims of family violence when the offenders are released from jail.

And the Ministry of Children’s Services should strengthen policy and practice supports related to the involvement of First Nations appointees to include accountability measures when appointees provide guidance on family and cultural connections.

Three children were receiving intervention services when they died and six were receiving services in the previous two years, putting them within the scope of mandatory screenings.

Reviews of two young men who died in the six-month period have been suspended and will be released at a later date; and the reviews of two young people who died before the period have also been postponed.

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Six of the youth were indigenous, “highlighting the continuing vulnerability and over-representation of indigenous youth in government systems,” Graff said.

His third recommendation touches on the urgency for greater responsibility on the part of the government to ensure that strong cultural connections are maintained between youth and First Nations communities, Graff’s office said in a separate press release.

The names of the children in the review (Brooklyn, Cindi, Charlie, Kade, Ayva, Layla, Michelle, Kelsie, and Kodak) are pseudonyms.

Brooklyn and Cindi

Seven-month-old Brooklyn and three-year-old Cindi were Indian siblings.

Brooklyn was described as a sweet and curious baby who people called an “old soul.” Cindi was an energetic girl with a big smile and a personality to match.

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Both were subject to a supervision order through child intervention services when they were victims of homicide.

His parents grew up experiencing substance use and violence, and his father Jeff had a criminal record of violent crimes.

It is based on the circumstances and deaths of the siblings that Graff made the recommendations to the Ministries of Justice and Children’s Services and the Attorney General.

Kelsie, Ayva and Layla

All three teens died of fentanyl or methamphetamine toxicity.

Kelsie was an artistic indigenous woman who loved painting and beads and participated in the teachings of the Elders.

She was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and was raised by parents who used substances and struggled to find stable housing.

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Social workers often consulted with their First Nation designee about case planning and their cultural needs, but those recommendations “did not appear to be met. It was also unclear to what extent Kelsie’s preferences in cultural connections, family contact, and planning were sought and considered. “

He was 18 when he died of drug toxicity.

Graff based his third recommendation on the situation Kelsie faced.

Ayva and Layla were 17 and 18 years old, respectively, when they died.

Mental health problems became apparent when Ayva was young, but she received minimal support. The worsening substance use exacerbated his mental health.

When she was 17 years old, she gave birth to a daughter, who passed into the hands of the government. Shortly after, she used fentanyl and was found dead.

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Graff said school-based mental health supports, such as the Mental Health Capacity Building Initiative in Schools in 2019-2020, “avoided the need for clinical intervention for 24,688 youth by developing personal coping skills.” . He urged the government to continue supporting that program.

Layla was involved with the court system and began using substances from a young age.

Behaviors that indicated trauma, such as self-injury, eventually led to her being placed in therapeutic group care. Layla was found dead four days before her 19th birthday.

Their circumstances point to the need for “cross-ministry policies and protocols to support information sharing and collaborative service planning,” as well as more flexible housing supports, Graff said.

“A staggering number of young people continue to die from opioids, and we must develop a greater sense of urgency to address this problem.”

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